COOKING APPLIANCE

A cooking appliance includes a cavity having a cooking space therein, a top plate covering an upper portion of the cavity to form an upper space between the top plate and the cavity, and a rear cover covering a rear of the cavity to form a rear space between the rear cover and the cavity, where an upper end opening is formed between the cavity and the rear cover and opens the rear space upward behind the upper space, and the top plate connects to the rear cover while covering the upper space and the upper end opening from above.

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Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2021-0003629, filed on Jan. 11, 2021, and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2021-0013615, filed on Jan. 29, 2021, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a cooking appliance, and specifically, a cooking appliance provided with a cooktop part and an oven part together.

BACKGROUND

Cooking appliances are installed in the kitchen and used to cook food as a user wants. Such cooking appliances can fall into different categories, based on a heat source or a type, and the sort of fuel.

Additionally, cooking appliances can be categorized into an open cooking appliance in which food is placed in an open space, and a sealed cooking appliance in which food is placed in a closed space, based on a way of cooking food. The sealed cooking appliance includes an oven, a microwave oven and the like, and the open cooking appliance includes a cooktop, a hob, a gridle and the like.

In the sealed cooking appliance, a space, in which food is placed, is shielded, and the shielded space is heated to cook food. The sealed cooking appliance is provided with a cooking space in which food is placed and which is shielded when the food is cooked. The cooking space is a space in which food is substantially cooked.

Sealed cooking appliances are classified into gas ovens and electric ovens based on the type of a heat source. Gas ovens use gas as a fuel and cook food using flames that is generated as a result of the ignition of a plurality of burners which burns gas supplied to them. Unlike gas ovens, electric ovens use electricity as a heat source and cook food using heat that is emitted from a plurality of heaters as the plurality of heaters operates.

A sealed cooking appliance is provided with door that selectively opens and closes a cooking space in a swivable manner. The door is disposed at a main body in a swivable manner through a door hinge disposed between the main body having the cooking space therein and the door, and swivels around a portion in which the door is coupled to the main body to selectively open and close the cooking space.

A heat source is disposed in an inner space of the cooking space opened and closed by the door, to heat the cooking space. The heat source includes a gas burner or an electric heater and the like.

The sealed cooking appliance is provided with an exhaust duct. The exhaust duct is provided to discharge exhaust gas, which is generated in the cooking space during the process of cooking food, out of the cooking appliance.

The exhaust duct's lower end portion connects to the upper portion of the cooking space, and the exhaust duct's upper end is disposed at the upper side of the rear surface of the cooking appliance. Exhaust gas generated in the cooking space is suctioned into the exhaust duct connected to the upper portion of the cooking space and flows upward, and is discharged upward from the rear surface of the cooking appliance through a vent grille disposed aabove the exhaust duct.

The vent grille is provided with at least one exhaust hole through the exhaust gas discharged through the exhaust duct passes, and the exhaust hole is formed in a way that passes through the vent grille vertically.

In recent years, a combination cooking appliance has been suggested. In the combination cooking appliance, a sealed cooking appliance and an open cooking appliance are installed together, and a plurality of heat sources are combined, such that various types of food items are cooked and a plurality of food items is cooked at the same time. A cooking appliance provided with a plurality of heat sources has a path of cool air used for cooling the plurality of heat sources and electronic components.

In the combination cooking appliance, an open cooking appliance is disposed on a sealed cooking appliance. The open cooking appliance is provided with a plurality of heaters or burners such that a plurality of food items can be cooked at the same time.

That is, when a user barbecues a food item or bakes bread and the like, or roasts fish, the user uses the sealed cooking appliance. Additionally, when the user puts a food item in a container to heat the food item, the user uses the open cooking appliance to cook the food item.

One of the commonly-used open cooking appliances is a gas range-type open cooking appliance, and the gas range-type open cooking appliance uses flame, which is generated as gas is burned by a burner, to cook a food item.

The burner disposed in the open cooking appliance ordinarily includes a burner body, a burner head, and a burner head cap.

The burner body having a flaw path for supplying gas is fixed to a cooktop case forming the exterior of the open cooking appliance, the burner head for discharging gas supplied through the path is disposed in the upper portion of/on the burner body, and the burner head cap is disposed on the burner head.

The burner body can be provided with a gas supply pipe for supplying gas, and a nozzle for spraying gas and the like. The burner head can be disposed on the upper surface of a member that defines the upper surface of the open cooking appliance, i.e., a top plate, and the burner head cap can be mounted onto the upper side of the burner head.

In the combination cooking appliance, the vent grille is ordinarily disposed at the upper side of the rear surface of the open cooking appliance. For example, the upper end portion of the exhaust duct can be disposed on the rear surface of the open cooking appliance while passing through the top plate, and the vent grille can be disposed in the upper portion of the top plate, i.e., in the upper portion of the rear surface of the top plate.

A rear cover is provided to cover the rear surface of the sealed cooking appliance and the rear surface of the open cooking appliance. The rear cover protects electronic components disposed on the rear surface of the combination cooking appliance and forms the rear exterior of the combination cooking appliance.

The rear cover can be coupled to the open cooking appliance behind the top plate, and a space for installing the electronic components disposed on the rear surface of the combination cooking appliance is formed between the main body of the sealed cooking appliance and the rear cover of the sealed cooking appliance, and between the main body of the sealed cooking appliance and the cooktop case of the open cooking appliance. The space formed between the rear surface of the combination cooking appliance and the rear cover of the combination cooking appliance is open upward.

The vent grille is disposed to cover a partial area of the rear of the top plate, including the area in which the exhaust duct is installed, from above. The vent grille can also cover a portion being open upward in the space between the rear surface of the combination cooking appliance and the rear cover of the combination cooking appliance, i.e., a gap formed between the top plate and the rear cover, from above. Accordingly, a space surrounded by the vent grille, the top plate and the rear cover is formed in the vent grille.

In the structure, water or foreign substances can enter the space in the vent grille through an exhaust hole of the vent grille. The water or foreign substances having entered the space in the vent grille can enter the space formed between the rear surface of the combination cooking appliance and the rear cover of the combination cooking appliance through the gap formed between the top plate and the rear cover.

The water or the foreign substances having entered through the gap formed between the top plate and the rear cover can cause failure of the electronic components disposed on the rear surface of the combination cooking appliance or an accident.

PRIOR ART DOCUMENT Patent Document

KR Patent Publication No. 10-1999-0031387 (titled Door Packing for Gas Oven Range)

SUMMARY Technical Problems

The present disclosure is directed to a cooking appliance that effectively prevents water or foreign substances from entering electronic components disposed in a space formed between a rear surface of the cooking appliance and a rear cover thereof.

The present disclosure is also directed to a cooking appliance that blocks water or foreign substances from coming through a gap formed between a top plate and the rear cover.

The present disclosure is also directed to a cooking appliance that helps to cool a display disposed on a control panel effectively.

The present disclosure is also directed to a cooking appliance that prevents hot air discharged from a door from affecting the display and helps to cool the display effectively.

Technical Solutions

To achieve the above aims, a cooking appliance of one embodiment includes a cavity having a cooking space therein, a top plate covering an upper portion of the cavity to form an upper space between the top plate and the cavity, and a rear cover covering a rear of the cavity to form a rear space between the rear cover and the cavity, where an upper end opening is formed between the cavity and the rear cover and opens the rear space upward behind the upper space, and the top plate connects to the rear cover while covering the upper space and the upper end opening from above.

A cooking appliance according to one aspect may include an oven part including a cavity having a cooking space therein; a cooktop part including a top plate covering an upper portion of the cavity to form an upper space between the top plate and the cavity, and at least one cooktop heating part at least partially disposed in the upper space; a rear cover covering rears of the oven part and the cooktop part to form a rear space between the rear cover and the oven part; an exhaust opening disposed between the cooktop heating part and the rear cover and formed in a way that passes through the top plate vertically; a vent grille covering the exhaust opening in an upper portion of the top plate, and an upper end opening may be formed between the cavity and the rear cover and open the rear space upward behind the upper space, and the top plate may connect to the rear cover while covering the upper space and the upper end opening from above.

The top plate may include a main plate disposed in an upper portion of the upper space and covering the upper space from above; and an extension plate extended rearward from the main plate and covering the upper end opening from above, for example.

The main plate and the extension plate may connect as the same surface and cover the upper space and the upper end opening from above, for example.

The extension plate may be coupled to the rear cover behind a cooktop case, and the vent grille may have a vent hole that is formed in a way that passes through the vent grille vertically, for example.

At least a portion of the main plate may be exposed to an upper portion of the vent grille through the vent hole, for example.

At least a portion of the main plate, exposed to the upper portion of the vent grille through the vent hole, and the extension plate may connect to cover the upper space and a gap from above, for example.

According to the present disclosure, the top plate further may further include a coupling part extended from the extension plate and coupled to the rear cover, for example.

The coupling part may extend from the extension plate in a direction parallel with the rear cover, and the coupling part may be coupled to the rear cover while contacting the rear cover in a front-rear direction, for example.

The main plate and the extension plate may connect as the same surface while the main plate, the extension plate, and the coupling part are integrated, and the coupling part may extend downward from an end portion of a rear of the extension plate, for example.

According to the present disclosure, the cooking appliance may further include a door disposed at a front of the cavity and configured to open and close the cooking space; and a control panel provided with a display disposed on the door, for example.

Additionally, a path for a flow of air may be formed in the door, a discharge hole for opening the path to an upper portion of the door may be formed on the upper surface of the door, facing the control panel, and the control panel may further include a control panel cover that accommodates the display while closing between the discharge hole and the display, for example.

The cooking appliance may further include a cooling fan that generates an air flow passing through the upper space, and a space in which the display is accommodated and the upper space may connect to each other, for example.

An upper end opening may be formed between the cavity and the rear cover and open a rear space upward behind the upper space, for example.

The top plate may connect to the rear cover while covering the upper space and the upper end opening from above, for example.

The cooling fan may be surrounded by the top plate, the rear cover and the cavity and disposed in a sealed space, for example.

According to the present disclosure, the cooking appliance further may include a front panel disposed between the cavity and the door, at least a portion of the front panel blocking a front of the upper space, the front panel may have an intake opening, and the cooling fan may suction air into the upper space through the intake opening and discharge the air having passed through the upper space through the exhaust opening, for example.

The cooling fan may be disposed in the upper space, behind the cooktop heating part, for example.

At least one of an electronic component for supplying power, an electronic component for a lighting device, an electronic component for a convection part, and an electronic component for supplying gas may be disposed in the rear space, and the top plate may cover the electronic component disposed in the rear space from above, for example.

Advantageous Effects

In a cooking appliance according to the present disclosure, water or foreign substances having fallen onto the upper portion of the cooking appliance through a vent grille may be blocked from entering electronic components disposed in a space formed between the rear surface of the cooking appliance and a rear cover thereof, thereby preventing failure of the electronic components, caused by the water or foreign substances, effectively.

In the cooking appliance, a top plate may directly connect to the rear cover while covering an upper end opening from above, thereby effectively preventing water from entering the upper end opening formed between the top plate and the rear cover.

In the cooking appliance, as a result of the coupling between the top plate and the rear cover, the upper end opening near a cooling fan may be sealed, thereby efficiently increasing the intensity of air current generated by the cooling fan and effectively cooling a display disposed on a control panel.

In the cooking appliance, the intensity of air current for cooling may increase such that the display cools effectively although a cooling hole is not formed in the lower portion of the control panel, thereby blocking hot air discharged from a door from affecting the display and effectively cooling the display.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings constitute a part of the specification, illustrate one or more embodiments in the disclosure, and together with the specification, explain the disclosure, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a cooking appliance of one embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the cooking appliance in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view showing the cooking appliance in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a lateral cross-sectional view showing an inner configuration of the cooking appliance in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged rear perspective view showing a portion of the cooking appliance in FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing a state in which a vent grille in FIG. 5 is separated;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged side view showing a portion of a rear of the cooking appliance in FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged perspective view showing a portion of the rear of the cooking appliance in FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is a rear view showing the cooking appliance in FIG. 2 without a rear cover;

FIG. 10 is a view showing a flow of water in a cooking appliance of the related art;

FIG. 11 is a view showing a flow of water in the cooking appliance of one embodiment;

FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view showing a state in which a cooktop part and a control panel are separated from the cooking appliance of one embodiment; and

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view showing a flow of cool air in the cooking appliance of one embodiment.

 DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The above-described aspects, features and advantages are specifically described hereunder with reference to the accompanying drawings such that one having ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains can easily implement the technical spirit of the disclosure. In the disclosure, detailed descriptions of known technologies in relation to the disclosure are omitted if they are deemed to make the gist of the disclosure unnecessarily vague. Below, preferred embodiments according to the disclosure are specifically described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, identical reference numerals can denote identical or similar components.

The terms “first”, “second” and the like are used herein only to distinguish one component from another component. Thus, the components should not be limited by the terms. Certainly, a first component can be a second component unless stated to the contrary.

Embodiments are not limited to the embodiments set forth herein, and can be modified and changed in various different forms. The embodiments in the disclosure are provided such that the disclosure can be through and complete and the scope of the disclosure can be fully conveyed to one of ordinary skill in the art. Accordingly, all modifications, equivalents or replacements and a replacement of one embodiment's configuration with another embodiment's configuration or an addition of one embodiment's configuration to another embodiment's configuration, within the technical spirit and scope of the disclosure, should be construed as being included in the scope of the disclosure.

Accompanying drawings are provided for a better understanding of the embodiments set forth herein and are not intended to limit the technical spirit of the disclosure. It is to be understood that all the modifications, equivalents or replacements within the spirit and technical scope of the disclosure are included in the scope of the disclosure. Sizes or thicknesses of the components in the drawings are exaggerated or reduced to ensure ease of understanding. However, the protection scope of the subject matter of the disclosure should not be interpreted in a limited way.

The terms in the disclosure are used only to describe specific examples or embodiments but not intended to limit the subject matter of the disclosure. The singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless explicitly indicated otherwise. It is to be understood that the terms “comprise”, “constitute” and the like, set forth herein, are used to indicate the presence of features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts or combinations thereof, and do not imply the exclusion of one or more additional features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts or combinations thereof.

The terms “first”, “second” and the like are used herein only to distinguish one component from another component. Thus, the components should not be limited by the terms.

When one component is described as being “connected” or “connected” to another component, one component can be directly connected or connected to another component. However, it is also to be understood that an additional component can be “interposed” between the two components. When one component is described as being “directly connected” or “directly connected” to another component, it is to be understood that no additional component is interposed between the two components.

When one component is described as being “on” or “under” another component, one component can be directly on or under another component, and an additional component can be interposed between the two components.

Unless otherwise defined, all the terms (technical or science words) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. Additionally, terms such as those defined in commonly-used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art, and unless explicitly defined herein, should not be interpreted in an ideal or overly sense.

In a state in which a cooking appliance stands on the floor, with respect to the center of the cooking appliance, a direction in which a door is installed is defined as a forward direction, and a direction toward the inside of the cooking appliance is defined as a rearward direction, with the door open. For convenience, a direction facing the front and the rear can be referred to as a first direction. Then the front can be referred to as one direction of the first direction, and the rear can be referred to as the other direction of the first direction.

Additionally, a gravitational direction can be defined as a downward direction, and a direction opposite to the gravitational direction can be defined as an upward direction.

Additionally, a horizontal direction across a front-rear direction of the cooking appliance, i.e., a widthwise direction of the cooking appliance, can be referred to as a left-right direction when the cooking appliance is seen in front of the door of the cooking appliance. For convenience, the left-right direction can be referred to as a second direction. Then the right side can be referred to as one direction of the second direction, and the left side can be referred to as the other direction of the second direction.

Further, the widthwise direction of the cooking appliance can be referred to as a lateral direction. Then the right side can be referred to as one side of the lateral direction, and the left side can be referred to as the other side of the lateral direction.

An up-down direction can be referred to as a third direction. Then the upward direction can be referred to as one direction of the third direction, and the downward direction can be referred to as the other direction of the third direction.

Furthermore, the up-down direction can be referred to as a vertical direction. Then the front-rear direction and the left-right direction, i.e., the first direction and the second direction, can be referred to as the horizontal direction.

Throughout the disclosure, the terms “A and/or B” as used herein can denote A, B or A and B, and the terms “C to D” can denote C or greater and D or less, unless stated to the contrary.

[Entire Structure of Cooking Appliance]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a cooking appliance of one embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the cooking appliance in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a side view showing the cooking appliance in FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is a lateral cross-sectional view showing an inner configuration of the cooking appliance in FIG. 2.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, the cooking appliance of one embodiment may include a cooktop part 20 and an oven part 30.

The exterior of the cooking appliance 1 may be formed by a main body 10. The main body 10 may be formed into a shape including an approximately rectangular cuboid. The main body may be made of a material having predetermined strength to protect a plurality of components installed in the inner space thereof.

The main body 10 may include a cavity 11 forming the skeleton of the main body 10, and a front panel 13 disposed at the front of the cavity 11 and forming the front surface of the main body 10. A cooking space 31 may be formed in the cavity 11, and an open part that opens the cooking space 31 in the forward direction may be formed in the front panel 13.

The cooktop part 20 may be disposed in the upper portion of the main body 10. The cooktop part 20 may be an open space, i.e., a space in which a food item or a container containing a food item, placed at the upper side of the cooktop part, is heated and cooked. The cooktop part 20 may be provided with a top plate 21 that forms the exterior of the upper surface of the cooktop part 20 and closes the upper end of the main body 10.

One or more cooktop heating parts 22 for heating a food item or a container containing a food item to be cooked may be disposed at the cooktop part 20.

In an example, the cooktop heating part 22 may be implemented as a heating device that uses gas as a fuel. In another example, the cooktop heating part may be implemented as a heater or an induction heating part that uses electricity. As described above, the structure of the cooktop heating part 22 may vary depending on the sort of a heat source.

The oven part 30 may be disposed in the lower portion of the cooktop part 20. The cooking space 31 that provides a space for cooking a food item may be disposed in the inner space of the oven part 30.

The cavity 11 may be formed into a cuboid the front surface of which is open, and the cooking space 31 may be formed in the cavity 11. That is, the cooking space 31 may be formed into an approximate cuboid-shaped space that is disposed in the cavity 11 and is open forward.

With the cooking space 31 closed, the inside of the cooking space 31 is heated to cook a food item. That is, in the oven part 30, the cooking space 31 is a space in which a food time is substantially heated.

The cooking appliance may be provided with a heating part for heating the cooking space 31. The heating part may be implemented as a heating device that uses gas as a fuel. In another example, the cooktop heating part may be implemented as a heater that uses electricity. As described above, the structure of the heating part may vary depending on the sort of a used heat source.

In this embodiment, the heating part is implemented as a heating device that uses gas as a fuel, for example. Accordingly, a broil burner 35 that heats the inner space of the cooking space 31 from above may be disposed at the upper side of the cooking space 31. Also, a baker burner-type burner that heats the inner space of the cooking space 31 from below may be disposed at the lower side of the cooking space 31.

Additionally, a convection part 37 that heats the inner space of the cooking space 31 as a result of the convection of hot air may be further disposed at the rear side of the cooking space 31.

The convection part 37 forces air in the inner space of the cooking space 31 to flow. That is, the convection part 37 suctions and heats air in the inner space of the cooking space 31 and then forces the air to flow while discharging the air to the inner space of the cooking space 31 such that the inner space of the cooking space 31 is heated, and a food item in the inner space of the cooking space 31 is heated evenly.

The oven part 30 may be provided with a door 32 that swivably opens and closes the cooking space 31 selectively. In an example, the door 32 may open the cooking space 31 in a pull-down manner such that the upper end swivels up and down with respect to the lower end.

The door 32 may be formed into a cuboid having a predetermined thickness entirely. The door 32 may have a handle 33 at the front thereof. The handle 33 is gripped by a user when the user swivels the door 32. The user may easily swivels the door 32 by using the handle 33.

A control panel 50 may be disposed in the upper portion of the front surface of the cooking appliance, i.e., on the front surface of the upper portion of the cavity 11. The control panel 50 may form a portion of the exterior of the front surface of the cooking appliance. The control panel 50 may be provided with a knob 51 for adjusting the operation of the cooking appliance, a display 52 displaying an operation state of the cooking appliance and the like.

For example, the control panel 50 may be provided in a way that an input part 51 and the display 52 are disposed on a control panel cover 50a disposed in the upper portion of the door 32 and at the front of the cooktop part 20.

The input part 52 has a plurality of manipulation switches, and through the manipulations switches, the user may input a manipulation signal directly. In this case, the manipulation switches may be implemented as a knob enabling rotation-based manipulation, or a button or a panel enabling push or touch-based manipulation.

The control panel 50 may further include the display 52 that provides information on the operation of the cooking appliance, or information on the cooking of a food item and the like. The user may ascertain various types of information on the cooking appliance through the display 52.

In another example, the display 52 may be implemented as a touch panel enabling touch-based manipulation. Accordingly, the input part 51 and the display 52 may be disposed together on a single touch panel.

Further, the cooking space 31 may include a rear space 34 behind itself. The rear space 34 is a space partitioned off from the cooking space 31 by a partition surface 30a that is disposed behind the cavity 11 and partitions the cooking space 31 from the rear space 34 in the front-rear direction. The forward boundary surface of the rear space 34 is defined by the partition surface 30a, and the rear boundary surface of the rear space 34 may be defined by a rear cover 15 disposed behind the cavity 11.

The cavity 11 may include an upper space 40, outside the cavity 11. The upper space 40 may be disposed in the upper portion of the cavity 11 and behind the control panel 50. A space for installing components or electronic components for constituting the cooktop heating part 22 may be formed in the upper space 40.

The front surface of the upper space 40 may be blocked by the front panel 13. The front panel 13 may be disposed between the cavity 11 and the door 13. The front panel 13 may be disposed in a way that at least a portion of the front panel blocks the front of the upper space 40. For example, the upper area of the front panel 13 disposed in the upper portion of the cooking space 31 may block the front surface of the upper space 40.

The front panel 13 may include an intake opening 14. The intake opening 14 may pass through the front panel 13 in the front-rear direction. The intake opening 14 may form a passage that allows air outside the upper space 40 to flow into the upper space 40, on the front panel 13.

[Structure of Cooktop Part]

FIG. 5 is an enlarged rear perspective view showing a portion of the cooking appliance in FIG. 2, and FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing a state in which a vent grille in FIG. 5 is separated.

Referring to FIGS. 4 to 6, the cooktop part 20 may be disposed on the oven part 30 and include the top plate 21 and the cooktop heating part 22, as described above.

The top plate 21 may be disposed over the cavity 11, and the upper space 40 may be disposed between the top plate 21 and the cavity 11. That is, the top plate 21 may cover the upper portion of the cavity 11 such that the upper space 40 is formed between the top plate 21 and the cavity 11.

The upper space 40 may be formed outside the cavity 11. The upper space 40 may be disposed behind the control panel 50 while being disposed between the cavity 11 and the top plate 21. A space for installing components or electronic components for constituting the cooktop heating part 22 may be formed in the upper space 40.

In an example, in the case of a cooktop heating part 22 is implemented as a heating device that uses gas as a fuel, a burner that burns gas, a supply pipe for supplying gas to the burner, a valve for adjusting the supply of gas to the burner and the like may be installed in the upper space 40.

In another example, in the case of a cooktop heating part 22 implemented as a heating device that uses electricity, a heater or an induction heating part, and various types of electronic components for driving the heater or the induction heating part may be disposed in the upper space 40.

The main body 10 may further include a side panel 17. The side panel 17 may be disposed respectively in both lateral portions of the cavity 11. Each of the side panels 17 may form the sidewise exterior of the main body 10 while covering the lateral portions of the cavity 11, outside the cavity 11.

Each of the side panels 17 may extend to the upper portion of the cavity 11 while covering the lateral portions of the cavity 11. Accordingly, the sidewise boundaries of the upper space 40 may be defined by the pair of side panels 17 that extends upward from both sides of the cavity 11.

The rear cover 15 may be disposed behind the cavity 11. The rear cover 15 may form the rear exterior of the main body 10 while covering the rear of the cavity 11. The rear cover 15 may define the rear boundary surface of the rear space 34 disposed behind the cavity 11.

A ventilation opening 16 may be formed on the rear cover 15. The ventilation opening 16 may be formed in a way that passes through the rear cover 15 in the front-rear direction, and form an air passage on the rear cover 15. Air passes through the air passage to cool electronic components disposed in the rear space 34.

The rear cover 15 may extend to the upper portion of the cavity 11 while covering the rear of the cavity 11. Accordingly, the rear boundary of the upper space 40 may be defined by the rear cover 15 that extends upward at the rear of the cavity 11.

That is, the upper space 40's front, rear, and both sides are surrounded by the front panel 13, the rear cover 15 and the pair of side panels 17, and the top plate 21 covers the upper portion of the upper space 40.

The top plate 21 may be disposed in the upper portions of the front panel 13, the rear cover 15, and the pair of side panels 17, and coupled respectively to the front panel 13, the rear cover 15, and the pair of side panels 17. That is, the top plate 21 may be fixed to the upper portion of the upper space 40 while being coupled respectively to the front panel 13, the rear cover 15, and the pair of side panels 17.

The cooktop part 20 may be provided with a first exhaust opening 23. The first exhaust opening 23 may be disposed eccentrically to the rear of the cooktop part 20 on the cooktop part 20. For example, the first exhaust opening 23 may be disposed between the cooktop heating part 22 and the rear cover 15.

The first exhaust opening 23 may be formed in a way that passes through the top plate 21 vertically. The first exhaust opening 23 may form an outlet on the top plate 21, and exhaust gas generated in the cooking space 31 is discharged out of the cooking appliance 1 through the outlet.

The first exhaust opening 23 may connect to an exhaust duct 41. The exhaust duct 41 may be provided to discharge exhaust gas, which is generated in the cooking space 31 while a food item is cooked, out of the cooking appliance.

The exhaust duct 41 may be provided in a way that the lower end portion thereof connects to the upper portion of the cooking space 31 while the upper end portion thereof is disposed toward the upper portion of the rear surface of the cooking appliance 1. For example, the upper end portion of the exhaust duct 41 may be disposed at the rear of the cooktop part 20. In this embodiment, the upper end portion of the exhaust duct 41 connects to the first exhaust opening 23, for example.

Accordingly, exhaust gas generated in the cooking space 31 may flow into the exhaust duct 41 connected to the upper portion of the cooking space 31 and move upward, and be discharged upward on the rear surface of the cooking appliance 1 through the first exhaust opening 23 connected to the upper end portion of the exhaust duct 41.

A vent grille 60 may be disposed above the first exhaust opening 23. The vent grille 60 may be provided to cover the first exhaust opening 23, on the top plate 21.

The vent grille 60 is provided in a way that covers a partial area of the rear of the top plate 21, including the area in which the first exhaust opening 23 is disposed, from above. The vent grille 60 may also cover a portion being open upward in the rear space 34 that is a space between the rear surface of the cavity 31 and the rear cover 15, i.e., an upper end opening formed between the partition surface 30a and the rear cover 15, from above. Thus, a space surrounded by the vent grille 60, the top plate 21 and the rear cover 15 may be formed in the vent grille 60.

In this embodiment, the vent grille 60 is formed into a cuboid the lower portion of which is open downward, for example. The vent grille 60 may be provided with at least one vent hole 61 through which exhaust gas discharged through the exhaust duct 41 passes. The vent hole 61 may be formed in a way that passes through the upper surface of the vent grille 60 vertically.

[Connection Structure Between Top Plate and Rear Panel]

FIG. 7 is an enlarged side view showing a portion of a rear of the cooking appliance in FIG. 5. FIG. 8 is an enlarged perspective view showing a portion of the rear of the cooking appliance in FIG. 5.

Referring to FIGS. 4 to 8, the rear space 34 may be formed between the cavity 31 and the rear cover 15. An upper end opening 49 may be formed at the upper end of the rear space 34. The upper end opening 49 may form a passage for opening the rear space 34 upward, behind the upper space 40.

The top plate 21 may connect to the rear cover 15 while covering the upper end opening 49 and the upper space 40 from above. The top plate 21 may include a main plate 210 and an extension plate 215.

The main plate 210 takes up most of the area of the top plate 21 and is disposed on the upper space 40. For example, the main plate 210 may be formed into a shape including a rectangle corresponding to the shape of the upper surface of the cavity 31.

The main plate 210 may include a concave surface 211 on which the cooktop heating part 22 is disposed, and an edge 212 which surrounds the concave surface 211.

The concave surface 211 may be disposed approximately at the center of the main plate 210 and takes up most of the area of the main plate 210. The cooktop heating part 22 may be disposed on the concave surface 211. In the case of a cooktop heating part 22 implemented as a heating device that uses gas as a fuel, at least a portion of a burner that burns gas may be exposed to the upper portion of the concave surface 211. To this end, a hole for exposing the burner to the upper portion of the concave surface 211 may be formed on the concave surface 211 in a way that passes through the concave surface 211 vertically.

The edge 212 may be provided at the front-rear edge and the left-right edge of the concave surface 211. The edge 212 may be concave further upward than the concave surface 211. For example, the central portion of the main plate 210, in which the concave surface 211 is disposed, may be depressed downward in the form of a rectangle.

The edge 212 of the main plate 210 may connect to the control panel 50, the side panel 17 and the like. For example, a portion of the edge 212, at the front of the main plate 210, may be coupled to the control panel 50, and portions of the edge 212, at both sides of the main plate 210 may be respectively coupled to the side panel 17.

As a result of the coupling among the edge 212, the control panel 50 and the side panel 17, the top plate 21 may be fixed to the upper portion of the upper space 40.

The extension plate 215 may extend from the main plate 210 rearward. The extension plate 215 may be provided to cover the upper end opening 49, on the upper space 40.

The extension plate 215 may correspond to the rear area of the top plate 21, and extend from the main plate 210 to the rear cover 15. Accordingly, the main plate 210 may be provided to approximately cover the upper area of the cavity 31, and the extension plate 215 may be provided to cover the rear area of the cavity, i.e., an area between the cavity 31 and the rear cover 15, from above.

In this embodiment, the main plate 210 and the extension plate 215 connect as the same surface while connecting in the front-rear direction, for example. A connecting structure of the main plate 210 and the extension plate 215 that connect as the same surface may cover the upper end opening 49 and the upper space 40 from above.

The extension plate 215 may be coupled to the rear cover 15 behind the cooktop part 20, specifically, behind the upper space 40 and at the rear of the rear space 34. To this end, the top plate 21 may further include a coupling part 217. The coupling part 217 may extend from the extension plate 215 and be coupled to the rear cover 15.

In this embodiment, the coupling part 217 is integrated with the main plate 210 and the extension plate 215, for example. The coupling part 217 may be formed in a way that extends from the extension plate 215 in a direction parallel with the rear cover 15.

For example, the coupling part 217 may extend from the end of the rear of the extension plate 215 downward. The coupling part 217, formed as described above, may be coupled to the rear cover 15 while contacting the rear cover 15 in the front-rear direction.

That is, the main plate 210, the extension plate 215 and the coupling part 217 may integrally connect such that a gap is not formed between the main plate 210 and the extension plate 215 and between the extension plate 215 and the coupling part 217, and while contacting the rear cover 15 in the front-rear direction, the coupling part 217 may be coupled to the rear cover 15.

Accordingly, the top plate 21 may be coupled to the control panel 50, the side panel 17 and the rear cover 15 while covering the rear space 34 and the upper space 40 from above. Accordingly, the top plate 21 may be fixed to the upper portion of the cooking appliance 1 while covering the upper space 40 and the upper end opening 49 from above.

[Operation of Cooking Appliance and Effect Thereof]

As described above, the top plate 21 may be fixed to the upper portion of the cooking appliance while covering the upper end opening 49 and the upper space 40 from above.

The top plate 21 may be provided with the first exhaust opening 23, and the vent grille 60 may be disposed on the first exhaust opening 23. The vent grille 60 may be provided to cover a partial area of the rear of the top plate 21, including the area in which the first exhaust opening 23 is disposed, from above.

The vent grille 60 may further include a link member 63. The link member 63 may be provided for a coupling between the vent grille 60 and the main body 10. For example, the link member 63 may protrude from the end of the rear of the vent grille downward. The link member 63 may be coupled to the main body 10, under the vent grille 60.

In an example, the link member 63 may be coupled to the rear cover 15. In another example, the link member 63 may be coupled to the end of the rear of the side panel 17 or the coupling part 217 of the top plate 21.

FIG. 9 is a rear view showing the cooking appliance in FIG. 2 without a rear cover, FIG. 10 is a view showing a flow of water in a cooking appliance of the related art, and FIG. 11 is a view showing a flow of water in the cooking appliance of one embodiment.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 9, the rear space 34 may be disposed behind the cavity 11. Various types of electronic components associated with the function of the oven part 30 may be disposed in the rear space 34. For example, a circuit board 70 associated with the supply of power to the cooking appliance 1, a portion of a lighting device 75 installed in the oven part 30, and a convection motor 38 for rotating a convection fan disposed in the convection part 37 may be disposed in the rear space 34. Additionally, devices such as a valve 80 or a regulator 85 and the like associated with the supply of gas to the cooking appliance may be disposed in the rear space 34.

When water or foreign substances enter the rear space 34 in which the electronic components are disposed, the water or foreign substances may cause failure of the electronic components or accidents.

In a cooking appliance of the related art, a rear cover 15 is disposed behind a top plate 21a, and the rear cover 15 is disposed behind a cavity 11, and a rear space 34 may be formed between the cavity 11 and the rear cover 15, as illustrated in FIG. 10.

Further, a gap 49a is formed at the upper end of the rear cover 15, and the gap 49a is formed between the top plate 21a and the rear cover 15 to open the rear space 34 upward.

The rear cover 15 is coupled to the cavity 11 without being coupled to the top plate 21a. The gap 49a may be exposed to the upper portion of a cooktop part 20, behind the top plate 21a.

A vent grille 60a may be disposed over the gap 49a. The vent grille 60a is disposed to cover a partial area of the rear of the top plate 21a, including the area in which an exhaust duct and an exhaust opening are disposed, from above. The gap 49a is also covered by the vent grille 60a.

A vent hole 61a passes through the vent grille 60a vertically, and exhaust gas discharged through the exhaust opening is discharged out of the upper portion of the vent grille 60a through the vent hole 61a.

Through the vent hole 61a, water or foreign substances may enter the space in the vent grille 60a. The water or the foreign substances having entered the space in the vent grille 60a may enter the rear space 34 through the gap 49a formed between the top plate 21a and the rear cover 15.

That is, in the cooking appliance of the related art, water or foreign substances are highly likely to enter the rear space 34 through the gap 49a exposed to the inside the vent grille 60a.

Unlike the cooking appliance of the related art, the cooking appliance of this embodiment has a top plate 21 that covers the upper end opening 49 and the upper space 40, as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 11.

For example, the main plate 210, the extension plate 215 and the coupling part 217 integrally connect such that a gap is not formed between the main plate 210 and the extension plate 215 and between the extension plate 215 and the coupling part 217, and the coupling part 217 may be coupled to the rear cover 15 while contacting the rear cover 15 in the front-rear direction.

Accordingly, the top plate 21 is coupled to the control panel 50, the side panel 17 and the rear cover 15 while covering the upper space 40 and the rear space 34 from above. Thus, the top plate 21 may be fixed to the upper portion of the cooking appliance 1, while covering the upper space 40 and the upper end opening 49 from above.

That is, a passage, through which water or foreign substances enter the rear space 34 from the upper portion of the cooking appliance 1, is blocked by the top plate 21, thereby effectively preventing the water and foreign substances from entering the rear space 34.

Further, in this embodiment, a connecting portion between the top plate 21 and the rear cover 15 is disposed at the rear of the cooking appliance 1 instead of being disposed toward the upper portion of the cooking appliance 1, and the top plate 21 and the rear cover 15 are coupled in the front-rear direction. Thus, it is less likely that water or foreign substances enter the cooking appliance through the coupling portion between the top plate 21 and the rear cover 15, and the invasion of water or foreign substances into the rear space 34 is effectively prevented.

Since water or foreign substances having fallen to the upper portion of the cooking appliance through the vent grille 60 are prevented from entering the electronic components disposed in a space formed between the rear surface of the cooking appliance 1 and the rear cover 15 through the vent grille 60 as described above, the failure of the electronic components, caused by the water or foreign substances, may be effectively prevented.

[Control Panel and Peripheral Structure Thereof]

FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view showing a state in which a cooktop part and a control panel are separated from the cooking appliance of one embodiment, and FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view showing a flow of cool air in the cooking appliance of one embodiment.

Referring to FIGS. 12 and 13, the control panel 50 may be disposed at the front of the upper space 40, and disposed on the door 32. The control panel 50 may include a control panel cover 55. The control panel cover 55 may form the exterior of the control panel 50 and accommodate various types of components constituting the control panel 50.

The control panel cover 55 may form the exteriors of the front surface, lateral surfaces and lower surface of the control panel cover 55, and accommodate the display 52. The lower surface of the control panel cover 55 may close between the door 32 and the display 52.

The door 32 disposed under the control panel 50 may have a path for the flow of air, therein. Additionally, an air flow hole may be disposed in the lower portion of the door 32. Further, a discharge hole 32a may be disposed on the upper surface of the door 32, which faces the control panel 50. The air flow hole, the path and the discharge hole 32a may be formed in a way that they pass through the door 32.

The air flow hole may form a passage through which external air flows into the path in the door 32, and the discharge hole 32a may form a passage through which the air having passed through the path in the door 32 is discharged out of the door 32. The discharge hole 32a may be formed in a way that passes through the upper surface of the door 32 vertically, and the air having passed through the path in the door 32 may be discharged upward through the discharge hole 32a.

Further, a cooling fan 45 may be disposed behind the control panel 50 and the door 32. The cooling fan 45 may be disposed near the rear cover 15 while being disposed in the upper space 40.

In an example, the cooling fan 45 may include a turbo fan disposed on the upper surface of the cavity 11. The cooling fan 45 may suction air in front of the upper space 40 and discharge the air toward the vent grille 60. The air discharged by the cooling fan 45 may pass through the second exhaust opening 24 formed in a way that passes through the top plate 21 and through the vent grille 60, and be discharged out of the upper portion of the cooking appliance 1.

[Relationship Between Structure of Control Panel and Structure of Top Plate]

Ordinarily, when the cooking appliance, specifically, the oven part 30 performs a cooking operation, the heating part operates. While the heating part operates, the cooling fan 45 may also operate.

When the cooling fan 45 operates, external air in front of the cooking appliance 1 may flow into the upper space 40 through the intake opening 14 that is formed in a way that passes through the front panel 13. The air having flown into the upper space 40 may pass through the upper space 40 while cooling components such as the display 52 disposed on the control panel 50 or the circuit board and the like, and then pass through the second exhaust opening 24 and the vent grille 60 and be discharged out of the upper portion of the cooking appliance 1.

Along the way, external air in front of the main body 10 and under the main body 10 is suctioned through the air flow hole disposed in the lower portion of the door 32, and then discharged through the discharge hole 32a disposed in the upper portion of the door 32 while cooling the door 32. The air discharged out of the upper portion of the door 32 through the discharge hole 32a may flow into the upper space 40 through the intake opening 14 that is formed in a way that passes through the front panel 13.

In this embodiment, the lower surface of the control panel cover 55 closes between the door 32 and the display 52, and a passage for connecting between the discharge hole 32a of the door 32 and the display 52 is not formed on the lower surface of the control panel cover 55.

Accordingly, the air discharged out of the upper portion of the door 32 through the discharge hole 32a of the door 32 may flow into the upper space 40 immediately through the intake opening 14 without contacting the display 52. That is, air heated during the process of cooling the door 32 may be discharged through the discharge hole 32a and then flow into the upper space 40 immediately without affecting the display 52.

The hot air discharged from the door 32 hardly affects the display 52 disposed on the door 32. Thus, damage to the display 52 or operational errors of the display 52, caused by the hot air discharged from the door 32, may be effectively prevented.

The display 52 is a heat-generating component that generates a large amount of heat. Accordingly, if the display 52 does not cool properly, the performance of the display 52 may deteriorate or the failure of the display 52 may occur.

One of the effective ways to cool the display 52 is to provide a cooling hole for cooling the display 52 at the control panel cover 55 that surrounds the display 52.

If the cooling hole is disposed on the front surface or the upper surface of the control panel cover 55, the cooling hole is exposed plainly, deteriorating aesthetic qualities. Additionally, water or foreign substances are highly likely to enter the control panel 50 through the cooling hole.

If the cooling hole is disposed on the lateral surface of the control pane cover 55, a distance between the cooling hole and the display 52 increases, and the surface area of the cooling hole may not be ensured sufficiently. That is, if the cooling hole is disposed on the lateral surface of the control panel cover 55, the display 52 may not cool properly.

To solve the above problems, the cooling hole may be provided on the lower surface of the control panel cover 55, preferably. However, the discharge hole 32a of the door 32 and the cooling hole of the control panel 50 face each other. In this case, hot air discharged from the door 32 may flow into the control panel 50 through the cooling hole, adversely affecting the display 52.

To prevent this from happening, in this embodiment, a passage for connecting between the discharge hole 32a of the door 32 and the display 52 is formed on no surface including the lower surface of the control panel cover 55. Thus, the hot air discharged from the door 32 hardly affects the display 52 disposed on the door 32.

However, if no cooling hole is disposed at the control panel cover 55, there is little possibility that the display 52 cools properly. The occurrence of the problem may be suppressed based on the effect of the above-described coupling between the top plate 21 and the rear cover 15.

In this embodiment, the main plate 210, the extension plate 215 and the coupling part 217 may integrally connect such that a gap is not formed between the main plate 210 and the extension plate 215 and between the extension plate 215 and the coupling part 217, and the coupling part 217 may be coupled to the rear cover 15 while contacting the rear cover 15 in the front-rear direction.

Accordingly, the top plate 21 may be coupled to the control panel 50, the side panel 17 and the rear cover 15 while covering the upper space 40 and the rear space 34 from above, such that the top plate 21 is fixed to the upper portion of the cooking appliance 1 while covering the upper space 40 and the upper end opening 49 from above.

The top plate 21 may be coupled to the rear cover 15 as a result of the coupling between the coupling part 217 and the rear cover 15, and seal the upper portion of the cooktop part 20. That is, the upper end opening 49 may be sealed by the top plate 21, and a space around the cooling fan 45 disposed near the upper end opening 49 may be surrounded and sealed by the top plate 21, the rear cover 15 and the cavity 31.

When the perimeter of the cooling fan 45 is sealed as described above, the intensity of air current generated by the cooling fan 45 may increase efficiently. As the intensity of air current generated by the cooling fan 45 increases, the efficiency of cooling components such as the display 52 or the circuit disposed on the control panel 50 and the like may improve.

That is, in the cooking appliance of this embodiment, since the upper end opening 49 near the cooling fan is sealed as a result of the coupling between the top plate 21 and the rear cover 15, the intensity of air current generated by the cooling fan 45 may efficiently increase, thereby effectively cooling the display 52 disposed on the control panel 50.

The cooking appliance 1 of this embodiment may increase the intensity of air current for cooling such that the display 52 cools effectively although the cooling hole is not formed in the lower portion of the control panel 50. Thus, the cooking appliance 1 of this embodiment may help to cool the display 52 effectively, while preventing hot air discharged from the door 32 from affecting the display 52.

The subject matter of the present disclosure is described with reference to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, but the embodiments are merely illustrative. Those of ordinary skill in the art to which the disclosure pertains can understand that various modifications and other equivalent embodiments are drawn from the above embodiments. Therefore, the technical scope of the present disclosure should be defined by the appended claims.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

    • 10: Main body
    • 11: Cavity
    • 13: Front panel
    • 14: Intake opening
    • 15: Rear cover
    • 16: Ventilation opening
    • 17: Side panel
    • 20: Cooktop part
    • 21: Top plate
    • 21a: Top plate
    • 210: Main plate
    • 211: Concave surface
    • 212: Edge
    • 215: Extension plate
    • 217: Coupling part
    • 22: Cooktop heating part
    • 23: First exhaust opening
    • 24: Second exhaust opening
    • 25: Exhaust duct
    • 30: Oven part
    • 30a: Partition surface
    • 31: Cooking space
    • 32: Door
    • 32a: Discharge hole
    • 33: Handle
    • 34: Rear space
    • 35: Broil burner
    • 37: Convection part
    • 38: Convection motor
    • 40: Upper space
    • 41: Exhaust duct
    • 45: Cooling fan
    • 49: Upper end opening
    • 49a: Gap
    • 50: Control panel
    • 51: Input part
    • 52: Display
    • 55: Control panel cover
    • 60: Vent grille
    • 61: Vent hole
    • 63: Link member
    • 70: Circuit board
    • 75: Lighting device
    • 80: Valve
    • 85: Regulator

Claims

1. A cooking appliance, comprising:

an oven having a cavity that defines a cooking space therein;
a cooktop disposed vertically above the oven, the cooktop comprising: a top plate that covers an upper portion of the cavity and defines an upper space between the top plate and the cavity, and a cooktop heater that is at least partially disposed in the upper space;
a rear cover that covers a rear side of the oven and a rear side of the cooktop and defines a rear space between the rear cover and the oven, wherein the top plate defines an exhaust opening that passes therethrough and is disposed between the cooktop heater and the rear cover; and
a vent grille that is disposed at an upper portion of the top plate and covers the exhaust opening,
wherein a gap is defined between the cavity and the rear cover and disposed rearward relative to the upper space, the rear space being opened upward to the gap, and
wherein the top plate is connected to the rear cover, the top plate being disposed above and covering the upper space and the gap.

2. The cooking appliance of claim 1, wherein the top plate comprises:

a main plate that is disposed above and covers an upper portion of the upper space; and
an extension plate that extends rearward from the main plate and covers the gap.

3. The cooking appliance of claim 2, wherein the main plate and the extension plate are coplanar and define one surface that covers the upper space and the gap.

4. The cooking appliance of claim 2, wherein the extension plate is coupled to the rear cover at a position behind the upper space and the gap.

5. The cooking appliance of claim 2, wherein the vent grille has a vent hole that vertically passes therethrough and exposes at least a portion of the main plate, and

wherein at least the portion of the main plate and the extension plate are connected to each other and cover the upper space and the gap.

6. The cooking appliance of claim 2, wherein the top plate further comprises a coupling part that extends from the extension plate and is coupled to the rear cover.

7. The cooking appliance of claim 6, wherein the coupling part extends from the extension plate in a direction parallel to the rear cover, and

wherein the coupling part is coupled to the rear cover and contacts the rear cover in a front-rear direction.

8. The cooking appliance of claim 6, wherein the main plate and the extension plate are coplanar, and

wherein the main plate, the extension plate, and the coupling part are parts of one component, the coupling part extending downward from an end portion of a rear of the extension plate.

9. The cooking appliance of claim 1, further comprising:

a door disposed at a front side of the cavity and configured to open and close the cooking space; and
a control panel disposed above the door, the control panel comprising a display.

10. The cooking appliance of claim 9, wherein the door has:

a path defined in the door and configured to guide air; and
a discharge hole defined at an upper surface of the door facing the control panel, the discharge hole being configured to discharge the air from the path, and
wherein the control panel further comprises a control panel cover that accommodates the display and covers a portion between the discharge hole and the display.

11. The cooking appliance of claim 10, further comprising a cooling fan configured to generate an air flow passing through the upper space,

wherein the control panel cover defines a space that accommodates the display, the space being connected to the upper space.

12. The cooking appliance of claim 11, wherein an upper end opening is defined between the cavity and the rear cover, the upper end opening being opened upward and disposed rearward relative to the upper space,

wherein the top plate is disposed above and covers the upper space and the upper end opening, and
wherein the cooling fan is disposed in a sealed space and surrounded by the top plate, the rear cover, and the cavity.

13. The cooking appliance of claim 11, further comprising a front panel disposed between the cavity and the door, at least a portion of the front panel blocking a front side of the upper space,

wherein the front panel defines an intake opening, and
wherein the cooling fan is configured to suction air into the upper space through the intake opening and to discharge, through the exhaust opening, the air having passed through the upper space.

14. The cooking appliance of claim 13, wherein the cooling fan is disposed in the upper space and rearward relative to the cooktop heater.

15. The cooking appliance of claim 1, further comprising at least one electronic component disposed in the rear space and configured to at least one of supply power, provide light to the cavity, cause convection of air in the cavity, or supply gas to the oven or the cooktop heater, and

wherein the top plate is located above and covers the at least one electronic component disposed in the rear space.

16. The cooking appliance of claim 1, further comprising:

a circuit board disposed in the rear space and configured to control supply of power to the cooking appliance;
a lighting device disposed in the oven, at least a portion of the lighting device being disposed in the rear space; and
a convection motor disposed in the rear space and configured to rotate a convection fan.

17. The cooking appliance of claim 1, wherein the top plate defines a recess that is recessed toward the upper space and accommodates the cooktop heater.

18. The cooking appliance of claim 17, further comprising a plurality of gas burners that are disposed in the recess and include the cooktop heater.

19. The cooking appliance of claim 1, further comprising an exhaust duct disposed in the upper space and disposed below the top plate, the exhaust duct extending rearward to the exhaust opening.

20. The cooking appliance of claim 19, wherein the exhaust duct is disposed at a rear portion of the upper space and inclined upward with respect to a bottom surface of the top plate.

Patent History
Publication number: 20220221158
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 11, 2022
Publication Date: Jul 14, 2022
Inventor: Jaebong JANG (Seoul)
Application Number: 17/573,099
Classifications
International Classification: F24C 15/00 (20060101); F24C 15/02 (20060101); F24C 15/10 (20060101);