Microwave oven

A microwave oven includes: heating chamber (11) for accommodating a heating object; magnetron (12) for heating the heating object accommodated in heating chamber (11); blower (13) for cooling magnetron (12); temperature detection device (17) for detecting a temperature of magnetron (12); and a control device for controlling an output power of magnetron (12) on the basis of temperature information output from temperature detection device (17), wherein temperature detection device (17) is disposed inside cooling fin (19) of magnetron (12), and the control device controls magnetron (12) on the basis of the temperature information obtained before cooking is started, thereby reducing a temperature transfer loss of abnormal heat generated from magnetron (12) and efficiently transferring the heat.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a microwave oven that heats a heating object through high frequency supplied from a magnetron or the like.

BACKGROUND ART

Hitherto, there has been known a microwave oven which includes a temperature detection device inside an air guide as a passage through which an exhaust air stream flows in order to detect the temperature of the exhaust air stream of the magnetron, where the temperature detection device is provided for the purpose of preventing damage to the apparatus caused by abnormal heat generated from the magnetron when the apparatus is operated while there is no heating object inside a heating chamber (for example, refer to PTL 1).FIG. 6is a plan cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of a conventional microwave oven.FIG. 6illustrates a configuration in which a temperature detection device is attached to an air guide of the conventional microwave oven. As shown inFIG. 6, the microwave oven includes: heating chamber1accommodating a heating object; magnetron2supplying high frequency to heating chamber1; cooling device3supplying a cooling air to heating chamber1and magnetron2; air guide4guiding a cooling air used to cool magnetron2toward heating chamber1; and temperature detection device5provided inside air guide4and detecting the temperature of a cooling air. Although not shown in the drawings, magnetron2includes an anode to which power is supplied and a cooling fin which is disposed inside an air stream path of the cooling air.

However, in the conventional configuration, the temperature of abnormal heat generated from magnetron2is transferred from the anode to the cooling fin, the cooling air flowing around the cooling fin is heated, and the temperature of the heated exhaust air stream is detected by temperature detection device5. For this reason, there are problems that it takes time to thermally transfer the temperature of the abnormal heat to temperature detection device5and an abrupt increasing temperature may not be detected.

Further, since an allowance of a detection control level is ensured (an allowable range is set to be wide) in order to prevent erroneous detection due to the above-described reasons, a problem arises in reliability of a temperature control.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is made to solve the above-described problems, and provides a microwave oven that improves the precision of the detection precision when a user operates the microwave oven in a no-load state by mistake, prevents damage of the apparatus, and has high safety and reliability.

A microwave oven of the present invention includes: a heating chamber for accommodating a heating object; a magnetron for heating the heating object accommodated in the heating chamber; a blower for cooling the magnetron; a temperature detection device for detecting a temperature of the magnetron; and a control device for controlling an output power of the magnetron on the basis of temperature information output from the temperature detection device, wherein the temperature detection device is disposed inside a cooling fin of the magnetron and the control device controls the magnetron on the basis of the temperature information obtained before cooking is started.

Accordingly, the temperature of the abnormal heat generated from the magnetron may be directly transferred from the anode to the temperature detection device via the cooling fin, and the heat may be highly efficiently transferred by reducing a temperature transfer loss. Also, since the abnormality detection control is performed on the basis of the temperature information obtained before the cooking is started, the erroneous detection due to repeated heating may be prevented.

Further, a microwave oven may be provided which improves the precision of the detection of abnormality in a no-load operation state, prevents the damage of the apparatus, and has high safety and reliability.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described by referring to the drawings. Further, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment.

FIG. 1is a diagram illustrating an external shape of a microwave oven of the embodiment of the present invention, andFIG. 2is a cross-sectional view illustrating the microwave oven when seen from the top surface thereof.

As shown inFIG. 1, the microwave oven of the embodiment includes: heating chamber11accommodating a heating object; magnetron12generating high frequency; blower13cooling magnetron12; air guide14guiding a cooling air used to cool magnetron12toward heating chamber11; operation unit15equipped with control device23; door16opening and closing an opening of heating chamber11; and exterior frame21.

Further, as shown inFIG. 2, temperature detection device17detecting the temperature of magnetron12is inserted and fixed to contact cooling fin19at a position adjacent to anode18of magnetron12between the outflow side of cooling air20from blower13and cooling fin19. Further, temperature detection device17is disposed at the lower air stream side of anode18where cooling air20generated from blower13is not directly blown, and may detect the temperature of magnetron12without the influence of cooling air20.

FIGS. 3A and 3Bare plan and front views respectively illustrating an attachment portion of temperature detection device17of the microwave oven of the embodiment. That is,FIG. 3Bis a view when seen from the front surface side (the side of operation unit15) of heating chamber11. In the embodiment, as shown inFIGS. 3A and 3B, magnetron12includes antenna12athat emits radio waves toward heating chamber11via anode18. Plural thin-sheet-shaped cooling fins19are disposed around anode18at a predetermined interval. Each cooling fin19is fixed to the inner peripheral wall of frame22surrounding anode18. In order to prevent deformation of cooling fin19which is a thin sheet, the end portion of each cooling fin19fixed to the inner peripheral wall of frame22has a bent portion that improves bending strength. Accordingly, cooling fins19are not easily deformed, and may keep a predetermined interval for cooling. Temperature detection device17is caulk-fixed to attachment hole17cthat is formed at one-side piece portion17bof attachment plate17aobtained by bending a T-shaped sheet piece in an L-shape. The other-side piece portion17dof attachment plate17ais screw-fixed to the top surface of frame22. At this time, attachment plate17aand air guide14are simultaneously fixed to frame22by a screw or the like via screw hole14aformed in air guide14shown inFIG. 1. It is desirable that temperature detection device17contacts cooling fin19. Further, in the embodiment, used is temperature detection device17has a configuration in which a temperature detection element such as a thermistor is enclosed in a metallic casing, but the present invention is not particularly limited to the configuration.

As described above, in the embodiment, temperature detection device17is installed by using a gap at the end portion around the reinforcement portion of cooling fin19. Accordingly, when temperature detection device17is inserted between thin-sheet-shaped cooling fins19, cooling fin19is not deformed. Further, since the temperature detection device is installed inside cooling fin19and is fixed to attachment plate17aattached to frame22, the temperature of magnetron12may be detected with high precision. The detection precision may be further improved when temperature detection device17is installed to contact cooling fin19.

FIG. 4is a diagram illustrating an example of a relationship between a temperature detected by temperature detection device17of the microwave oven of the embodiment having the above-described configuration and time.

In general, when a heating object such as food is present in heating chamber11of the microwave oven, an increase in temperature of temperature detection device17is depicted by the curve A in the graph ofFIG. 4. However, when there is no food or the like in heating chamber11, an increase in temperature of the temperature detection device is depicted by the curve C greater than the curve A.

This is due to the following reasons. Radio waves supplied from magnetron12are guided toward heating chamber11in a condition without a load such as food. However, since there is no food absorbing radio waves, the radio waves are reflected from heating chamber11and are returned to magnetron12, so that the temperature of anode18increases. A difference in temperature between the curves A and C may be different in accordance with the type or the amount of food, but generally the temperature of the curve C increases when there is no load.

When a difference in temperature of temperature detection device17fixed to magnetron12is compared, it is possible to determine whether there is no load since there is an obvious difference between an increasing temperature value (ΔTa) when there is a heating object such as food in heating chamber11and an increasing temperature value (ΔTc) when there is no load such as food in heating chamber11.

However, when the microwave oven is repeatedly operated, the temperature of magnetron12is high. Also, when there is a heating object such as food in heating chamber11, the temperature increases like the curve B of the graph inFIG. 4. The increasing temperature value (ΔTb) in that case becomes higher than the increasing temperature value (ΔTa) in the case of cooling and a difference with respect to a temperature value (ΔTc) becomes smaller. Accordingly, the possibility of erroneous detection increases.

For this reason, a threshold value is set on the basis of temperature information of temperature detection device17before cooking is started, and it is determined that the repeated operations are performed when the current temperature is the threshold temperature or more. In this case, since an increasing temperature value becomes ΔTd when there is no load after the repeated operations, there is an obvious difference compared to the increasing temperature value (ΔTb) when there is a heating object such as food. Accordingly, it is possible to determine whether there is no load.

Next, a control of the embodiment will be described.FIG. 5is a flowchart illustrating a control of the microwave oven of the embodiment.

In step S1, control device23confirms whether the current temperature is a predetermined temperature or more on the basis of the temperature information of temperature detection device17immediately after the start of the control, and determines whether the repeated operations are performed (it is determined whether it is a repeated operation state S12or a normal state S11at the timing t0ofFIG. 4). When the current temperature is a predetermined temperature or more (S12ofFIG. 4), it is determined that the repeated operations are performed (YES of step S1), and the current process proceeds to step S2. When the current temperature is not a predetermined temperature or more, it is determined that the repeated operations are not performed (NO of step S1), and the current process proceeds to step S5.

When the current process proceeds to step S2, the process of step S2is repeated until a predetermined time interval (the timings t0to t1ofFIG. 4) is elapsed (NO of step S2). When a predetermined time is elapsed (YES of step S2), the current process proceeds to step S3, and it is determined whether the current temperature is a predetermined temperature or more on the basis of the temperature information of temperature detection device17(it is determined whether it is a no-load state S122or a load state S121at the timing t1ofFIG. 4). When it is the load state S121where the current temperature is not a predetermined temperature or more (NO of step S3), it is determined that the magnetron is normally operated, and the current process proceeds to step S8.

In step S3, when it is a no-load state S122where the current temperature is a predetermined temperature or more (YES of step S3), it is determined that a no-load operation is performed, and the current process proceeds to step S4. Then, the output reduction process of magnetron12is performed, and a detection flag is set in order to prevent damage of the apparatus and inform an abnormal operation.

Subsequently, the current process proceeds to step S8, and the process of step S8is repeated until it is determined that the cooking is finished (NO of step S8). When the cooking is finished (YES of step S8), the current process proceeds to step S9, and it is determined whether the detection flag is set. When the detection flag is not set (NO of step S9), the current process proceeds to END. When the detection flag is set (YES of step S9), the current process proceeds to step S10, an error display informing the abnormal operation during cooking is generated, and the current process proceeds to END. The error display informs a customer that the cooking is not normally finished since the output reduction process is performed due to, for example, the abnormality detection. Further, the error display calls attention so that the cooking is not performed without any load by informing the no-load operation. When the history of the error display is stored, this information may be usefully used to guess the reason of failure during a service.

Even when it is determined that the repeated operations are not performed in step S1(the no-load state S11ofFIG. 4) (NO of step S1) and the process proceeds to step S5, the same control is performed, and the process proceeds to step S8via step S6and step S7. That is, the process proceeds to step S8after performing the control of step S5corresponding to step S2, step S6corresponding to step S3, and step S7corresponding to step S4. At this time, in step S6, it is determined whether it is the no-load state S112or the load state S111at the timing t1ofFIG. 4.

Since these steps are merely an example, the step may be created so that a program may not be easily made with a determination reference. Further, the determination procedure may be made in sequence or may not be needed. Further, the method of determining a condition or the method of determining whether a current value is a predetermined value or more or a predetermined value or less may be freely used in combination to match the use method.

Hereinafter, an operation of the microwave oven with the above-described configuration will be described. In the embodiment, the abnormal temperature caused by the heating of magnetron12is directly transferred from anode18to temperature detection device17via cooling fin19, and the heat may be highly efficiently transferred by reducing a temperature transfer loss. Also, the abnormality detection control may be performed on the basis of the temperature information before the cooking is started. In this manner, the erroneous detection due to the repeated heating may be prevented, the safety may be ensured, and the damage of the apparatus may be prevented.

Further, in the embodiment, temperature detection device17is disposed at the lower air stream side of anode18of magnetron12on the opposite side of blower13blowing cooling air20. As a result, the cooling air generated from blower13is not directly blown to temperature detection device17, so that the amount of heat generated from magnetron12may be more precisely detected.

As described above, the present invention has a configuration in which a microwave oven includes: a heating chamber for accommodating a heating object; a magnetron for heating the heating object accommodated in the heating chamber; a blower for cooling the magnetron; a temperature detection device for detecting a temperature of the magnetron; and a control device for controlling an output power of the magnetron on the basis of temperature information output from the temperature detection device, wherein the temperature detection device is disposed inside a cooling fin of the magnetron and the control device controls the magnetron on the basis of the temperature information obtained before cooking is started.

Accordingly, the temperature of the abnormal heat generated from the magnetron may be directly transferred from the anode to the temperature detection device via the cooling fin, and the heat may be highly efficiently transferred by reducing a temperature transfer loss. Also, since the abnormality detection control is performed on the basis of the temperature information obtained before the cooking is started, the erroneous detection due to repeated heating may be prevented.

Further, the present invention has a configuration in which the temperature detection device is disposed at a lower air stream side of an anode of the magnetron on the opposite side of the blower blowing cooling air toward the magnetron. Accordingly, the cooling air generated from the blower may not be directly blown to the temperature detection device, and the amount of the heat generated from the magnetron may be more precisely detected.

Furthermore, the present invention has a configuration in which the control device detects abnormality on the basis of a value of temperature increase detected by the temperature detection device in a predetermined time interval. Accordingly, the erroneous detection may be prevented in the condition where the temperature of the magnetron is high due to the repeated heating, and the detection precision may be improved by separately setting the increasing temperature value when the temperature of the magnetron is low.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

Since the present invention improves the precision of the detection of abnormality in a no-load operation state, prevents the damage of the apparatus, and has high safety and reliability, the present invention may be applied to various microwave ovens.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS AND SIGNS

11: HEATING CHAMBER

14: AIR GUIDE

15: OPERATION UNIT

17: TEMPERATURE DETECTION DEVICE

20: COOLING AIR

21: EXTERNAL FRAME

23: CONTROL DEVICE