OVEN AND DOOR ASSEMBLY FOR OVEN

Abstract

A door assembly for an oven includes a door configured to open and close a heating chamber of an oven, and a glass substrate removably mounted to a surface of the door facing the heating chamber. An oven includes a housing having a heating chamber formed therein for irradiation of microwaves into the heating chamber. A door is configured to open and close the heating chamber, the door having a filter that prevents microwaves from leaking from the heating chamber. A glass substrate is removably mounted to a surface of the door facing the heating chamber.

Description

This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2006-0013795, filed on Feb. 13, 2006, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a door assembly for an oven and an oven therewith.

2. Discussion of the Related Art

As typical home appliances with heating chambers, there are electric ovens and microwave ovens, and combination electric and microwave ovens. Each of those ovens is provided with a heating chamber in a housing to be opened/closed with a door, and heats a heating object, such as food or the like placed in the heating chamber, with heat of a heater or a microwave.

During heating of the food, oil, flavorings, moisture, and the like vaporize from the food. Substances vaporized in this manner stick to an inside wall of the heating chamber and an inside surface of the door. In general, since the inside wall of the heating chamber and the inside surface of the door are constructed of metal, it is difficult to remove contaminants stuck to the inside wall of the heating chamber and the inside surface of the door. Particularly, in a case that microwaves are irradiated into the heating chamber, removal of the contaminant from a filter, which is provided to the inside surface of the door for preventing microwaves from leaking, becomes more difficult.

Further, for making effective sealing of the microwave, maintenance of a fixed gap between the filter and the housing is required when the door is in a closed condition. However, the housing, which is construction of a plurality of panels, is liable to cause dimensional errors in a process when the plurality of panels are fabricated. Therefore, accurate fabrication of the housing is required so that the gap between the filter and the housing is within a fixed range at the time of production of the appliance, otherwise there can be an increased amount of leakage of the microwaves. Moreover, there can be leakage of the microwaves through portions at which the plurality of panels are joined.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a door assembly for an oven and an oven therewith.

An object of the present invention is to provide a door assembly for an oven which is improved for improving cleanability; and an oven therewith.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a door assembly for an oven which structure is improved for effective sealing of a microwave leakage therethrough; and an oven therewith.

Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.

To achieve these objects and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, a door assembly for an oven includes a door configured to open and close a heating chamber of an oven; and a glass substrate removably mounted to a surface of the door facing the heating chamber. The glass substrate may be removably fastened to the door with a latch. The glass substrate may be slidably mounted on the surface of the door.

The door may include a support that holds a portion of the glass substrate, and a latch that holds another portion of the glass substrate to secure the glass substrate to the door. The support holds at least one edge of the glass substrate and the latch holds an opposite edge of the glass substrate.

The door may include a guide that guides the glass substrate to be slidably inserted onto the door, a stopper that supports an edge of the glass substrate inserted onto the door, and a latch that holds an opposite edge of the glass substrate to secure the glass substrate to the door. The door assembly may includes a filter for attenuating leakage of microwaves from the heating chamber, wherein the glass substrate covers the filter to prevent contamination of the filter.

According to another aspect of the invention, an oven includes a housing having a heating chamber formed therein for irradiation of microwaves into the heating chamber; a door configured to open and close the heating chamber, the door having a filter that prevents microwaves from leaking from the heating chamber; and a glass substrate removably mounted to a surface of the door facing the heating chamber. The glass substrate may be removably fastened to the door with a latch. The glass substrate may be inserted onto the door while the glass substrate moves in a direction parallel to the surface of the door.

The door may further include a support that holds a portion of the glass substrate, and a latch that holds another portion of the glass substrate to secure the glass substrate to the door. The door may further include a guide that guides the glass substrate to be slidably inserted onto the door, a stopper that supports an edge of the glass substrate inserted onto the door, and a latch that holds an opposite edge of the glass substrate to secure the glass substrate to the door. The glass substrate may cover the filter to prevent contamination of the filter.

The housing may include a first panel configured to surround the heating chamber; a second panel configured to surround a front of the first panel, the second panel facing the door; and a front panel positioned in front of the first panel and the second panel, the front panel facing the door when the door is in a closed condition.

The housing may include a first panel configured to surround the heating chamber, a second panel configured to surround a front of the first panel, the second panel facing the door; a third panel configured to surround the second panel; and a front panel having one end positioned between the first panel and the second panel, the front panel positioned in front of the first panel and the second panel, the front panel facing the door when the door is in a closed condition. The front panel may be bent such that the front panel faces the surface of the door facing the heating chamber and a side of the door, and the filter is configured such that an inlet of the filter at a side of the door faces a surface of the front panel which faces the side of the door.

The filter may be positioned at a side of the door and has an inlet arranged to face a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the door is opened and closed. The oven may further include a sealing member positioned between the housing and the glass substrate when the door is in a closed condition to prevent contaminant and heat leakage from the heating chamber. The sealing member may be positioned between the heating chamber and the filter when the door is in the closed condition to prevent contamination of the filter.

According to another aspect of the invention, an oven includes a housing having a heating chamber formed therein for irradiation of microwaves into the heating chamber, the housing including a plurality of panels assembled together; a door configured to open and close the heating chamber; a filter provided on the door facing the housing to prevent microwaves from leaking from the heating chamber; and a front panel positioned in front of the housing to cover joined portions of the plurality of panels and to face the filter.

The oven may further include a glass substrate removably mounted to the door. The glass substrate may be removably fastened to the door with a latch. The glass substrate may be inserted onto the door while the glass substrate moves in a direction parallel to a surface of the door.

The door may further include a support that holds a portion of the glass substrate, and a latch that holds another portion of the glass substrate to secure the glass substrate to the door. The door may further include a guide that guides the glass substrate to be slidably inserted onto the door, a stopper that supports an edge of the glass substrate inserted onto the door, and a latch that holds an opposite edge of the glass substrate to secure the glass substrate to the door. The glass substrate may cover the filter to prevent contamination of the filter.

The oven may further include a sealing member positioned between the housing and the glass substrate when the door is in a closed condition to prevent contaminant and heat leakage from the heating chamber. The sealing member may be positioned between the heating chamber and the filter when the door is in the closed condition to prevent contamination of the filter. The front panel may be bent such that the front panel faces a surface of the door facing the heating chamber and a side of the door, and the filter may be configured such that an inlet of the filter at a side of the door faces a surface of the front panel which faces the side of the door.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present invention are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiment(s) of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principle of the invention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an oven in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, with a door opened.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the oven of FIG. 1, with the door closed.

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view along line I-I′ of FIG. 2 illustrating an oven in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view along line II-II′ of FIG. 2 illustrating an oven in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a partial sectional view along line I-I′ of FIG. 2 illustrating an oven in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the concept of the invention to those skilled in the art. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is a heating chamber 110 provided in a housing which forms an exterior of the oven for holding a heating object, such as food. Mounted to a side, for an example, a front side, of the heating chamber 110, there is an opening for access to an inside of the heating chamber 110.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, mounted to an outside surface of the housing 100, there is a control panel 130 for controlling the oven, which may be positioned, for an example, at an upper side of a front of the housing 100. The position of the control panel 130 is not limited to the position illustrated in FIG. 1 or 2, the position may vary based on an installation position of the heating home appliance and convenience of the user.

For heating the food in the heating chamber, the oven of the present invention is provided with a heat source. As the heat source, a microwave providing device 140 and a heater 150 may be used, selectively, or at the same time. The heat sources used in the oven will be described in more detail. Of course, the present invention may also be incorporated into an oven having only one type of heating mechanism.

The microwave providing device 140 is provided between the housing 100 and the heating chamber 110 for irradiating microwaves into the heating chamber 110. The microwave providing device 140 may include, forexample, a magnetron 141 for generating the microwave, and a waveguide 143 for guiding the microwave to the heating chamber 110 for irradiation. The magnetron 141 generates, for an example, a microwave of a frequency range of 2.4 GHz to 2.5 GHz, such as 2.45 GHz.

The microwave is irradiated into the heating chamber 110 from the magnetron 141 through the waveguide. The microwave can be irradiated into the heating chamber with a simple pattern, in which case the object in the heating chamber 110 is liable to be heated non-uniformly.

A turning tray (not shown) may be provided to a bottom of the heating chamber 110 to achieve more uniform heating. Then, the heating object on the turning tray can be heated more uniformly owing to turning of the heating object placed on the turning tray. Moreover, there may be a fan in the waveguide 143 or the heating chamber 110 for stirring the microwave irradiated in this manner. The heating object can then be heated more uniformly owing to the microwave being irradiated into the heating chamber 110 with a more complicated and varied pattern.

A structure of the microwave providing device 140 is not limited to a structure described above, but any variations or technologies of the microwave providing device 140 that can generate a microwave and irradiate the same into the heating chamber 110 can be employed.

The microwave irradiated into the heating chamber 110 makes water molecules in the heating object vibrate to heat the heating object. It is difficult to provide an optimum cooking service to each of various kinds of food only by means of such a heating. Accordingly, the oven may also be provided with a heater 150, not only for providing an optimum cooking service to each of various kinds of food, but also for increasing kinds of food which can be cooked in the oven of the present invention.

The heater 150 is arranged in the heating chamber 110 for supplying radiant heat to the food in the heating chamber 110. Although FIG. 1 illustrates an example in which the heater 150 is arranged on a ceiling of the heating chamber 110, the position of the heater 150 is not limited to this. As another example, the heater 150 may be arranged on a side, a rear, or a bottom of the heating chamber 110.

If the heater 150 is provided to the heating home appliance, not only additional cooking services, such as broiling, baking, and so on, can be provided, but also an optimum cooking service can be provided by an appropriate combination of amounts and time periods of supplies of the microwave and the radiant heat. The oven may be also be provided with the microwave providing device 140 and the heater 150 independently.

The housing 100 has a door 200 hinged thereon with a hinge assembly 105 for opening/closing the opening to the heating chamber 110. FIG. 1 illustrates an example in which the door 200 turns downward around the hinge assembly 105 connected to a lower side of the housing 100 to open, and turns upward around the hinge assembly 105 to close. However, a position of the hinge assembly 105 and a direction of turning of the door 200 can be changed taking convenience of the user into account. For example, the hinge assembly 105 may be fixedly secured to a side of the housing 100 so that the door 200 is turned in left/right directions around the hinge assembly 105 to open/close the door 200. A handle 201 may be provided for a user to grip when opening/closing the door 200.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the door 200 may be provided with a see-through window 205 for the user to look an inside of the heating chamber 110. The see-through window 205 is formed at a central portion of the door 200, with a multi-holed screen 207 (see FIGS. 3 to 5) for preventing the microwave irradiated into the heating chamber 110 from leaking to an outside of the heating chamber 110. Accordingly, the user can look into the inside of the heating chamber 110 even during the heating object is heated through the multi-holes in the screen.

The door 200 is provided with a filter 300 for preventing the microwave from leaking through a gap between the door 200 and the housing 100. The filter 300 may be arranged along an inside circumference of the door 200, such that the filter 300 is set opposite to a front of the housing 100 with a gap therebetween when the door 200 closes the heating chamber 110. The filter 300 causes the microwave proceeding toward an outside of the heating chamber 110 through the gap to resonate for attenuating the microwave, thereby preventing the microwave from leaking.

For improving cleanability of the door 200, a sheet of glass 250 is mounted to the inside surface of the door 200. The sheet of glass 250 can cover, for an example, an entire inside surface of the door 200 as shown in FIG. 1. Once the glass 250 is mounted to the inside surface of the door 200 in this manner, the cleanability of the door 200 can be improved because the contaminant formed in the heating chamber 110 and stuck to the glass 250 can be removed, easily. The glass 250 can also cover the filter 300 on the door 200. In this case, because the glass 250 effectively prevents the filter 300 from being contaminated, the cleanability of the door 200 can be improved more.

If the oven is used for a long time period, or the user spills food on the door 200, contaminant, such as sediment of food or the like, can enter between the inside surface of the door 200 and the glass 250. The contaminant between the inside surface of the door 200 and the glass 250 can not be removed if the glass 250 is not able to be removed from the door 200. Moreover, in a case the glass 250 is damaged during transportation or use of the heating home appliance, it is required to replace the damaged glass with a new one.

However, in a case that the glass 250 is fixedly secured to the door 200 with fastening members, such as bolts, the glass can not be removed from the door 200. Therefore, the present invention provides easy and detachable mounting of the glass 250 to the inside surface of the door 200 without the fastening members, such as the bolts.

The glass 250 can be secured to the door 200 with movable latches 430 rigidly after, for an example, the glass 250 is placed in the door 200. In this manner, after the glass 250 slides along the inside surface of the door 200 until the glass is placed in the door 200, the glass 250 may be fastened to the door 200 with the latches 430. A mounting structure of the glass 250 of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 1.

The glass 250 is mounted to the inside surface of the door 200 such that the glass 250 is easily detachable with a supporting portion and the latches 430. The supporting portion supports a portion of the glass 250, and the latches 430 hold the other portions of the glass 250 so that the glass 250 does not fall off the door 200, or unfasten the glass 250 so that the glass 250 can be removed from the door 200. In this instance, the supporting portion may be arranged to support at least one side of the glass 250, and the latches 430 may be arranged to fasten the other side of the glass 250.

Referring to FIG. 1, for an example, the supporting portion may include a guide portion 410 and stoppers 420. The guide portion 410 is extended from a portion of the door 200, for example, the filter 300, for holding, for example, opposite sides of the glass 250 of a rectangular shape. In more detail, the guide portion 410 has an “L” section, and are arranged at a top side and a bottom side of the door 200 opposite to each other. One pair of the guide portions 410 arranged thus guide sliding of the glass 250 when the glass 250 is being placed in the door 200 along a direction parallel to the inside surface of the door 200 from a left side or a right side of the door 200 to an opposite side, and prevent the glass 250 from falling off the door 200.

Referring to FIG. 1, the stopper 420 is extended from a portion of the door 200, for an example, the filter 300, for supporting one side of the glass 250 placed therein guided by the guide portion 410. In more detail, the stopper 420 is arranged at an opposite side of a side where the glass 250 is started to be placed therein, for limiting a placing depth of the glass 250 in the door 200 by supporting one side of the glass 250.

At least one latch 430 is provided to the door 200 at a side opposite to the stopper 420. Since the latch 430 has a conventional structure of fastening/unfastening, a detailed description of which will be omitted. The latch 430 holds the other side of the glass 250, i.e., a side opposite to a side supported by the stopper 420 for securing the glass 250 to the door 200.

In a case the glass 250, mounted to the door 200 with the supporting portion and the latches 430 thus, is required to be removed from the door 200 for cleaning or replacement, the latches 430 are released at first. Then, the glass 250 is pulled out of the door 200 by sliding the glass 250 to the right side of the door 200 having the latches released. After the glass 250 is pulled out of the guide portion 410 fully, the glass 250 removed from the door 200 thus is cleaned.

At the time the glass 250 or a new glass is mounted to the door 200, after placing both corners of the glass 250 in the guide portions 410 slightly, the glass 250 pushed into the door 200 from the right side to a left side of the door 200. Then, if the glass 250 is placed into the door 200 fully up to a position where the stopper 420 is, the latches 430 are latched.

As described above, the present invention permits easy mounting/dismounting of the glass 250 to/from the door 200. Accordingly, not only cleanability of the door 200 is improved, but also the glass 250 can be replaced easily in a case the glass 250 is broken.

The housing 100 forms, not only an exterior of the heating home appliance, but also the inside wall of the heating chamber 110, and a front surface opposite to the door 200. Since a plurality of components are placed in the housing 100, the housing 100 can be constructed of, not a single panel only, but a plurality of panels.

The present invention provides a structure which enables easy maintenance of a gap between the housing 100 which is fabricated of a plurality of panels and the door 200 within a predetermined range at the time of fabrication of the heating home appliance. Moreover, the present invention provides a structure which enables effective prevention of leakage of the microwave through a plurality of joined portions of the plurality of panels. Those will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

Referring to FIG. 3 which is a section across I-I′ line in FIG. 2, the housing 100 includes a first panel 101, a second panel 102, and a front panel 120. The first panel 101 surrounds the heating chamber 110, to form the inside wall of the heating chamber 110. As shown in FIG. 3, a front of the first panel 101 has a front formed around the opening to the heating chamber 110. The second panel 102 surrounds the front of the first panel 101, and faces the inside surface of the door 200. As shown in FIG. 3, after the first panel 101 and the second panel 102 are arranged such that portions of surfaces thereof face each other, the surfaces are joined together by welding or the like.

The front panel 120 is placed in front of the first panel 101 and the second panel 102 additionally, to form the front of the housing 100. Therefore, when the door 200 is closed, the door 200, more specifically, the filter 300 faces the front panel 120. The front panel 120 is, for an example, welded to the first panel 101.

The housing 100 may further include a third panel 103. The third panel 103 surrounds the second panel 102, to form, for an example, an outside wall of the heating home appliance. A portion of the third panel 103, facing the door 200, more specifically, the filter 300, has the front panel 120 added thereto additionally as shown in FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 4, the third panel 103 may not be provided to a bottom of the housing 100.

As described with reference to FIG. 3, though the front panel 120 may cover all of the first panel 101, the second panel 102, and the third panel 103, only some of the panels may be covered. For an example, as shown in FIG. 5, the front panel 120 may be arranged in front of the second panel 102 and the third panel 103 to face the door 200, more specifically, the filter 300, with one end thereof placed between the first panel 101 and the second panel 102.

The housing 100 of above structure makes the front panel 120, placed in front of the first panel 101, the second panel 102, and the third panel 103 additionally, to face the door 200 and the filter 300 when the door 200 is closed. Therefore, even if the first panel 101, the second panel 102, and the third panel 103 are assembled comparatively inaccurately at the time of fabrication of the heating home appliance, the gap between the front panel 120 and the door 200 can be set within a predetermined range at the time of mounting the front panel 120. According to this, the leakage of the microwave can be prevented, effectively. Moreover, since accurate assembly of the first panel 101, the second panel 102, and the third panel 103 is not required at the time of fabrication of the heating home appliance, a working productivity is increased. Along with this, because the front panel 120 covers joined portions of many panels, the leakage of the microwave through the joined portions can also be prevented, effectively.

In the meantime, in a case the glass 250 is mounted to the inside surface of the door 200, the gap between the door 200 and the housing 100 can become greater as much as a thickness of the glass 250. In this case, it is difficult for the filter on the door 200 to reduce the leakage of the microwave, effectively. In a case the door 200 is pulled forward slightly, or the glass 250 is degraded to deform, the gap between the door 200 and the housing 100 can become greater. In this case too, it is difficult for the filter to reduce the leakage of the microwave, effectively. The present invention solves those problems fully, which will be described in more detail.

Referring to FIG. 1, in the front of the housing 100 which faces the door 200, there is a stepped portion around the opening of the heating chamber 110 recessed toward an inside of the heating chamber 110. The stepped portion has, for an example, an “L” shape substantially. For this, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the front panel 120 is bent in an “L” shape substantially to form a front portion 121 and a side portion 123.

The front portion 121 of the front panel 120 is arranged, for an example, in front of the first panel 101 and the second panel 102, to face an inside surface of the door 200, particularly, a circumference of the glass 250. The side portion 123 of the front panel 120 is bent perpendicularly from an edge of the front portion 121 so as to be arranged in front of the third panel 103 to face the filter 300 when the door is closed. Though the front portion 121 faces a direction in which the door 200 is closed/opened, the side portion 123 faces a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the door 200 is closed/opened. Therefore, when the door 200 is opened or closed slightly, though a gap between the front portion 121 and the inside surface of the door 200 varies, a gap between the filter 300 and the side portion does not vary.

In the oven of the present invention, the filter 300 has an inlet arranged to face, not the front portion 121 of the front panel 120, but the side portion 123 of the front panel 120. A structure and an arrangement of the filter 300 will be described in more detail.

The filter 300 has a groove 310 formed along the side of the door 200. As shown in FIG. 3, the groove 310 is defined with an inner wall 311, a bottom 313, and an outer wall 315. The inner wall 311 is extended parallel to the inside surface of the door 200 from an inside edge of the door 200. The bottom 313 of the groove 310 is extended vertical to the inside surface of the door 200 and the inside surface 311 of the groove 310 from an inside edge of the door 200. The outer wall 315 of the groove 310 is extended perpendicularly to the bottom 313, i.e., parallel to the inside wall 311, from the bottom 313.

Referring to FIG. 1, the inner wall 311, the bottom 313, and the outer wall 315 of the groove 310 are closed, and, opposite to the bottom 313, the inlet 320 of the groove 310 is formed. As shown in FIG. 3, when the door 200 is closed, the closed inner wall 311 of the groove 310 faces the front portion 121 of the front panel 120, and the opened inlet 320 of the groove 310 faces the side portion of the front panel 120.

The outer wall 315 has a plurality of projections 315a extended toward the inner wall 311 parallel to the side portion 123, to cover the inlet 320 to the groove 310, partially. As shown in FIG. 1, the projections 315a are arranged at fixed intervals along a length direction of the groove 310, such that two adjacent projections 315a form a slot which permits pass of the microwave.

A portion of the microwave irradiated into the heating chamber 110 is incident on the gap between the inside wall 311 of the filter 300 and the front portion 121 of the front panel 120. However, as described before, since the inner wall 311 of the filter 300 is closed, the microwave passed through the gap between the front portion 121 and the inner wall 311 can not enter into a space the groove 310 of the filter 300 forms, directly.

Only a very small amount of the microwave passed through the front portion 121 and the inner wall 311 enters between a gap between the side portion 123 and the projection 315a, and, therefrom, enters into the space of the groove 310 through the slot and the inlet 320 of the groove 310. Eventually, the filter 300 of above structure can reduce an amount of the microwave that enters into the groove 310 substantially, thereby increasing a microwave sealing performance, significantly.

The microwave entered into the groove 310 resonates and is attenuated by an LC circuit formed of a structural characteristic of the filter 300. In this instance, if the filter 300 has one groove 310, the microwave resonates and is attenuated, once. However, the filter 300 of the present invention can have a structure for making the microwave to resonate and be attenuated, many times.

Referring to FIG. 3, for this, the filter 300 may further include a partition plate 330 which is extended from the bottom 313 of the groove 310 parallel both to the inner wall 311 and the outer wall 315, to divide the inside space of the groove 310 into to independent spaces. The partition plate 330 may have projections 330a extended from an edge of the partition plate 330 toward the inner wall 311 for covering the inlet 320 to the groove 310, partially.

Once the partition plate 330 is provided thus, an effect can be obtained, in which a plurality of filters 300 are formed in succession at the side of the door 200 in a direction the door 200 is opened and closed, enabling to reduce an amount of leakage of the microwave significantly by resonating and attenuating the microwave. Eventually, the filter 300 of the present invention provides an excellent sealing performance of the microwave.

In a case that the door 200 is pulled forward slightly, or the gap between the door 200 and the housing 100 becomes greater due to deformation of components or the like, a large amount of the microwave is liable to pass through the large gap between the front portion 121 and the inner wall 311 of the filter 300. However, in this case too, a size of the gap between the side portion 123 and the projections 315a which are substantially parallel to the direction in which the door 200 is opened and closed does not vary. Accordingly, the amount of the microwave entering into the space of the groove 310 of the filter 300 is maintained constant regardless of the gap between the door 200 and the housing 100. By this, the microwave sealing performance of the filter 300 of the present invention can be maintained constant.

As described before, the filter 300 of the present invention provides an improved microwave sealing performance, and, not only can maintain the microwave sealing performance constant, but also an improved cleanability of the door 200. Those will be described in more detail.

A portion of the contaminant formed at the heating chamber 110 enters into the gap between the front portion 121 of the stepped portion 120 and the inner wall 311 of the filter 300. As described before, since the inner wall 311 of the filter 300 is closed, even though the glass 250 does not cover the inner wall 311 of the filter 300, the contaminant passed through the gap between front portion 121 and the inner wall 311 can not enter into the groove 310 of the filter 300 directly, but sticks to the front portion 121 or a surface of the inside wall 311 facing the front portion 121. Cleaning of the front portion 121 or the surface of the inside wall 311 facing the front portion 121 is easier than the inside of the filter 300. Accordingly, cleanability of the door 200 of the heating home appliance is excellent.

In order to cut-off entrance of the contaminant to the filter 300 from the heating chamber 110, a sealing member 160 may be provided further as shown in FIGS. 1, and 3 to 5. The sealing member is formed, for an example, at the front portion 121 of the front panel 120 as shown in FIG. 1, so that the sealing member 160 is brought into closed contact with the glass 250 when the door 200 is closed as shown in FIG. 3 to 5. Therefore, the contaminant can not enter into the filter 300 from the heating chamber 110 owing to the sealing member 160, thereby preventing contamination of the filter 300. In addition to this, the sealing member 160 cuts off leakage of heat from the heating chamber 110 to an outside of the heating home appliance, effectively. Accordingly, the sealing member 160 improves thermal efficiency of the heating home appliance.

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment in which the door 200 includes an outer frame 210, and an inner frame 220 projected from a rear of the outer frame 210, the filter 300 is formed around an edge of the inner frame 220, and a circumference of the inner frame 220 is receive in the stepped portion 120 when the door 200 is closed. However, the present invention is not limited to this.

As an alternative, the door 200 may have one flat frame, the filter 300 may be formed at the side of, i.e., circumference of, the door 200, and the edge of the door 200 and the filter 300 may be received in the stepped portion of the front panel 120. In this case, the inside edge of the door 200 faces the front portion 121, and the filter 300 around sides of the door 200 faces the side portion 123. It is preferable that the outside surface of the door 200 is flush with the front panel 120 for better looking of the heating home appliance.

As has been described, the present invention permits easily detachable mounting of the door to the door. Accordingly, contaminant can be removed from between the glass and the door easily, to improve cleanability of the door, and easy replacement of the glass on an occasion of breakage of the glass.

The present invention has the front panel placed in front of a plurality of panels joined together additionally, such that the front panel faces the inside surface of the door and the filter. Accordingly, even in a case the plurality of panels are not assembled accurately, gaps between the front panel and the door and the filter can be determined and adjusted at the time the front panel is mounted easily. By this, working productivity can be improved, and leakage of the microwave can be prevented, effectively.

The present invention has the stepped portion in the front panel of the housing, and the filter at the door is arranged to face the stepped portion. Accordingly, because an amount of the microwave entering into the filter is small, a microwave sealing performance is improved, and the microwave sealing performance can be maintained constant regardless of movement of the door.

Furthermore, the present invention has a sealing member provided between the door and the housing when the door is closed. Accordingly, entrance of the contaminant from the heating chamber to the filter can be prevented, and leakage of heat from the heating chamber to an outside of the heating home appliance can be prevented, effectively. By this, cleanability of the door and the thermal efficiency of the heating home appliance is improved.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers such modifications and variations of the invention.

The foregoing embodiments and advantages are merely exemplary and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention. The present teaching can be readily applied to other types of apparatuses. The description of the present invention is intended to be illustrative, and not to limit the scope of the claims. Many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

One or more embodiments of the disclosure may be referred to herein, individually and/or collectively, by the term “invention ” merely for convenience and without intending to voluntarily limit the scope of this application to any particular invention or inventive concept. Moreover, although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it should be appreciated that any subsequent arrangement designed to achieve the same or similar purpose may be substituted for the specific embodiments shown. This disclosure is intended to cover any and all subsequent adaptations or variations of various embodiments. Combinations of the above embodiments, and other embodiments not specifically described herein, will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the description.

The above disclosed subject matter is to be considered illustrative, and not restrictive, and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications, enhancements, and other embodiments which fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus, to the maximum extent allowed by law, the scope of the present invention is to be determined by the broadest permissible interpretation of the following claims and their equivalents, and shall not be restricted or limited by the foregoing detailed description.

Although the invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is understood that the words that have been used are words of description and illustration, rather than words of limitation. As the present invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, it should also be understood that the above-described embodiment is not limited by any of the details of the foregoing description, unless otherwise specified. Rather, the above-described embodiment should be construed broadly within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims. Therefore, changes may be made within the metes and bounds of the appended claims, as presently stated and as amended, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention in its aspects.

Claims

1. A door assembly for an oven, comprising:

a door configured to open and close a heating chamber of an oven; and

a glass substrate removably mounted to a surface of the door facing the heating chamber.

2. The door assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the glass substrate is removably fastened to the door with a latch.

3. The door assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the glass substrate is slidably mounted on the surface of the door.

4. The door assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the door comprises:

a support that holds a portion of the glass substrate, and

a latch that holds another portion of the glass substrate to secure the glass substrate to the door.

5. The door assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein the support holds at least one edge of the glass substrate and the latch holds an opposite edge of the glass substrate.

6. The door assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the door comprises:

a guide that guides the glass substrate to be slidably inserted onto the door,

a stopper that supports an edge of the glass substrate inserted onto the door, and

a latch that holds an opposite edge of the glass substrate to secure the glass substrate to the door.

7. The door assembly as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a filter for attenuating leakage of microwaves from the heating chamber, wherein the glass substrate covers the filter to prevent contamination of the filter.

8. An oven comprising:

a housing having a heating chamber formed therein for irradiation of microwaves into the heating chamber;

a door configured to open and close the heating chamber, the door having a filter that prevents microwaves from leaking from the heating chamber; and

a glass substrate removably mounted to a surface of the door facing the heating chamber.

9. The oven as claimed in claim 8, wherein the glass substrate is removably fastened to the door with a latch.

10. The oven as claimed in claim 8, wherein the glass substrate is inserted onto the door while the glass substrate moves in a direction parallel to the surface of the door.

11. The oven as claimed in claim 8, wherein the door further comprises:

a support that holds a portion of the glass substrate, and

a latch that holds another portion of the glass substrate to secure the glass substrate to the door.

12. The oven as claimed in claim 8, wherein the door further comprises:

a guide that guides the glass substrate to be slidably inserted onto the door,

a stopper that supports an edge of the glass substrate inserted onto the door, and

a latch that holds an opposite edge of the glass substrate to secure the glass substrate to the door.

13. The oven as claimed in claim 8, wherein the glass substrate covers the filter to prevent contamination of the filter.

14. The oven as claimed in claim 8, wherein the housing comprises:

a first panel configured to surround the heating chamber;

a second panel configured to surround a front of the first panel, the second panel facing the door; and

a front panel positioned in front of the first panel and the second panel, the front panel facing the door when the door is in a closed condition.

15. The oven as claimed in claim 8, wherein the housing comprises:

a first panel configured to surround the heating chamber,

a second panel configured to surround a front of the first panel, the second panel facing the door;

a third panel configured to surround the second panel; and

a front panel having one end positioned between the first panel and the second panel, the front panel positioned in front of the first panel and the second panel, the front panel facing the door when the door is in a closed condition.

16. The oven as claimed in claim 14, wherein the front panel is bent such that the front panel faces the surface of the door facing the heating chamber and a side of the door, and the filter is configured such that an inlet of the filter at a side of the door faces a surface of the front panel which faces the side of the door.

17. The oven as claimed in claim 15, wherein the front panel is bent such that the front panel faces the surface of the door facing the heating chamber and a side of the door, and the filter is configured such that an inlet of the filter at a side of the door faces a surface of the front panel which faces the side of the door.

18. The oven as claimed in claim 8, wherein the filter is positioned at a side of the door and has an inlet arranged to face a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the door is opened and closed.

19. The oven as claimed in claim 8, further comprising a sealing member positioned between the housing and the glass substrate when the door is in a closed condition to prevent contaminant and heat leakage from the heating chamber.

20. The oven as claimed in claim 19, wherein the sealing member is positioned between the heating chamber and the filter when the door is in the closed condition to prevent contamination of the filter.

21. An oven comprising:

a housing having a heating chamber formed therein for irradiation of microwaves into the heating chamber, said housing including a plurality of panels assembled together;

a door configured to open and close the heating chamber;

a filter provided on the door facing the housing to prevent microwaves from leaking from the heating chamber; and

a front panel positioned in front of the housing to cover joined portions of the plurality of panels and to face the filter.

22. The oven as claimed in claim 21, further comprising a glass substrate removably mounted to the door.

23. The oven as claimed in claim 22, wherein the glass substrate is removably fastened to the door with a latch.

24. The oven as claimed in claim 22, wherein the glass substrate is inserted onto the door while the glass substrate moves in a direction parallel to a surface of the door.

25. The oven as claimed in claim 22, wherein the door further comprises:

a support that holds a portion of the glass substrate, and

a latch that holds another portion of the glass substrate to secure the glass substrate to the door.

26. The oven as claimed in claim 22, wherein the door further comprises:

a guide that guides the glass substrate to be slidably inserted onto the door,

a stopper that supports an edge of the glass substrate inserted onto the door, and

a latch that holds an opposite edge of the glass substrate to secure the glass substrate to the door.

27. The oven as claimed in claim 22, wherein the glass substrate covers the filter to prevent contamination of the filter.

28. The oven as claimed in claim 22, further comprising a sealing member positioned between the housing and the glass substrate when the door is in a closed condition to prevent contaminant and heat leakage from the heating chamber.

29. The oven as claimed in claim 28, wherein the sealing member is positioned between the heating chamber and the filter when the door is in the closed condition to prevent contamination of the filter.

30. The oven as claimed in claim 21, wherein the front panel is bent such that the front panel faces a surface of the door facing the heating chamber and a side of the door, and the filter is configured such that an inlet of the filter at a side of the door faces a surface of the front panel which faces the side of the door.