An over having an improved exhaust structure capable of discharging a fluid of the inside of a cooking chamber at a constant rate, the oven including a cooking chamber cooking food, a machine chamber disposed at an upper side of the cooking chamber and accommodating an electronic component, a cooling fan unit disposed at an inside of the machine chamber to cool the machine chamber, and a flow passage guide communicating with an inside the cooking chamber and an inside of the cooling fan unit such that a fluid of the inside of the cooking chamber is introduced to the inside of the cooling fan unit, wherein the cooling fan unit includes a cooling fan configured to suck a fluid of the inside the machine chamber and blow the fluid to the outside environment.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2012-0079450, filed on Jul. 20, 2012 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an oven having a structure for discharging fluid of inside of a cooking chamber.

2. Description of the Related Art

An oven is a machine designed to cook foodstuff by use of a heating source, and includes a cooking chamber in which food is cooked and a machine chamber to accommodate electronic parts. In a process of cooking food, the inside of the cooking chamber is sealed to prevent high-temperature heat from leaking to the outside.

An oven is provided with an exhaust apparatus configured to exhaust fluid of the inside of the cooking chamber to adjust the internal pressure or humidity as a result of maintaining a high temperature in the cooking chamber, and to remove various gas or odor being generated during a process of cooking food.

In a case of an exhaust apparatus having a structure capable of exhausting fluid of the inside of the cooking chamber by use of the Venturi effect, the amount of fluid being discharged through an outlet from the inside of the cooking chamber may significantly vary depending on the size and position of the outlet set to generate the Venturi effect. If the amount of fluid being discharged through the outlet significantly varies, for example, the amount of fluid being discharged through the outlet is excessively small, almost no exhaust effect is attained, and if the amount of fluid being discharged through the outlet is excessively large, the cooking performance is degraded.

SUMMARY

Therefore, it is an aspect of the present disclosure to provide an oven having an improved exhaust structure capable of discharge a fluid of the inside of a cooking chamber at a constant rate.

In accordance with one aspect, an oven includes a cooking chamber, a machine chamber, a cooling fan unit and a flow passage guide. The cooking chamber may cook food. The machine chamber may be disposed at an upper side of the cooking chamber and accommodating an electronic component. The cooling fan unit may be disposed at an inside of the machine chamber to cool the machine chamber. The flow passage guide may communicate with an inside the cooking chamber and an inside of the cooling fan unit such that a fluid of the inside of the cooking chamber is introduced to the inside of the cooling fan unit. The cooling fan unit may include a cooling fan, a first outlet, a second outlet, and a flow control hole. The cooling fan may be configured to suck a fluid of the inside the machine chamber and blow the fluid. The first outlet may allow the fluid blown by the cooling fan to be discharged to an outside the cooling fan unit therethrough. The second outlet may allow a fluid passing through the fluid passage guide to be discharged to the inside of the cooling fan unit therethrough. The flow control hole may control a volume of the fluid discharged through the second outlet, by guiding the fluid of the inside of the cooling fan unit so as to be introduced to the fluid passage guide.

The fluid passage guide may include a first terminal, a second terminal and a third terminal. The first terminal may communicate with the cooking chamber. The second terminal may communicate with the second outlet. The third terminal may communicate with the flow control hole.

The flow passage guide may include a first flow passage, a third flow passage and a second flow passage. The first flow passage may allow a fluid introduced through the first terminal to flow there along. The third flow passage may allow a fluid introduced through the third terminal to flow there along. The second flow passage may allow a fluid introduced from the third flow passage to flow while joining a fluid introduced from the first flow passage there along.

The cooling fan unit may include an inclined surface formed by having at least one portion thereof inclined. The second outlet may be provided at one side of the inclined surface.

The second outlet may be formed by slitting one portion of the inclined surface.

The fluid being discharged through the second outlet may be discharged to the outside the cooling fan unit through the first outlet together with a fluid which is being introduced to the cooling fan unit by being blown by the cooling fan.

In accordance with one aspect, an oven may include a cooking chamber, a machine chamber, a housing, a cooling fan, a fluid passage guide and a plurality of communication holes. The cooking chamber may cook food. The machine chamber may accommodate an electronic component. The housing may be disposed an inside the machine chamber. The cooling fan may be coupled to one end of the housing to suck a fluid of an outside the housing and blow the sucked fluid to an inside of the housing. The fluid passage guide may be coupled to the cooking chamber and the housing. The plurality of communication holes may be formed through one surface of the housing such that the housing communicates with the fluid passage guide in at least two different positions. The plurality of communication holes may include a first communication hole and a second communication hole. The first communication hole may guide a fluid of an inside of the flow passage guide so as to be discharged to an inside of the housing. The second communication hole may guide a fluid of the inside of the housing so as to be introduced to the inside of the flow passage guide.

At least one outlet may be provided at other end of the housing to guide the fluid being introduced to the inside of the housing so as to be discharged to the outside the housing.

The housing may include a width decrease part and a parallel part. The width decrease part may have a width decreased in an upper and lower side direction. The parallel part may have a width maintained constant in an upper and lower side direction and may be provided at one end thereof with the outlet.

The first communication hole may be provided at the parallel part.

The second communication hole may be provided at the width decrease part.

The first communication hole may be formed by slitting one portion of the housing.

The flow passage guide may include a first flow passage, a third flow passage and a second flow passage. The first flow passage may allow a fluid introduced from the cooking chamber to flow there along. The third flow passage may allow a fluid introduced through the second communication hole to flow there along. The second flow passage may allow a fluid introduced from the third flow passage to flow while joining a fluid introduced from the first flow passage there along.

The flow flowing along the third fluid passage, after being introduced to the inside of the housing through the first communication hole, is discharged to the outside the housing through the outlet together with the fluid of the inside of the housing.

The outlet may be located between the cooking chamber and the machine chamber.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1is a view illustrating an oven in accordance with an embodiment, andFIG. 2is a side sectional view of an oven in accordance with an embodiment.

Referring toFIGS. 1 and 2, the oven1includes an outer case10having a box shape, an inner case11accommodated in the outer case10and provided so as to be open at a front surface thereof, and a door12opening and closing the open front surface of the inner case11.

A cooking chamber20cooking food is provided in the inner case11. Guide rails21are provided at both sides of the cooking chamber20, and a rack22, on which foodstuff or a vessel containing food is placed, is detachably coupled to the guide rail21. A heater23is installed at an upper side of the cooking chamber20to generate a heat for cooking the food on the rack22. A circulation motor24and a circulation fan25are installed at a rear of the cooking chamber20to form uniform temperature at an inside the cooking chamber20by circulating the air of the inside of the cooking chamber20such that the food is rapidly cooked. A fan cover26formed of a plate-like member is coupled to a front side of the circulation fan25. A through-hole part27is formed at the fan cover26.

A machine chamber30in which various types of electronic components (not shown) are disposed is provided at an upper side of the cooking chamber20. Buttons, a display part34and a pop-up apparatus160are provided at a front surface panel33forming the machine chamber30to adjust the cooking time or the cooking process.

A cooking fan unit100is installed at an inside of the machine chamber30to cool the temperature of the inside of the machine chamber30. The cooling fan unit100sucks the outside air to the inside of the machine chamber30, and discharges the air toward a front of the oven1.

The cooking chamber20and the cooking fan unit100communicate with each other through a fluid passage guide150. In a process of cooking food, at least one portion of a fluid of the inside of the cooking chamber20is introduced to the cooling fan unit100through the fluid passage guide150, and then is discharged to the front of the oven1.

A shielding frame41is provided between the cooking chamber20and the machine chamber30to prevent an interior between the cooking chamber20and the machine chamber30from being exposed to the outside, and an heat insulation material42is located in a space among the upper side of the cooking chamber20, the lower side of the machine chamber30and the shielding frame41. The heat insulation material42blocks heat of the inside of the cooking chamber20from being transferred to the inside of the machine chamber30.

Hereinafter, the structure of the cooling fan unit100and a principle of discharging the fluid of the inside of the cooking chamber20will be described in detail.

FIG. 3is a perspective view illustrating main components of a cooling fan unit,FIG. 4is an exploded perspective view ofFIG. 3andFIG. 5is a view for explaining a principle of controlling the volume of fluid being discharged through a second outlet.

Referring toFIGS. 2 to 5, the cooling fan unit100includes a housing110disposed at an inside the machine chamber30, and a cooling fan120coupled to one end of the housing110to suck a fluid of an outside of the housing110and blow the sucked fluid to the inside the housing110.

The housing110is composed by including an upper bracket112and a lower bracket114coupled one on top of another to from a space in which a fluid flows. The upper bracket112and the lower bracket114are inclined in directions facing each other.

A first outlet116is formed at the other end of the housing110opposite to the one end of the housing, to which the cooling fan120is coupled, to discharge the fluid being introduced to the inside of the housing110to the outside of the housing110. The first outlet116is located between the cooking chamber20and the machine chamber30.

In addition, an interior space111of the housing110is composed by including a width decrease part111ahaving an interval in an upper and lower side direction decreased between the upper bracket112and the lower bracket114, and a parallel part111bhaving an interval maintained substantially constant in an upper and lower side direction between the upper bracket112and the lower bracket114. The first outlet116is formed at one end of the parallel part111b.

The width decrease part111aserves to produce the Venturi effect at the inside the housing110. The fluid being sucked to the interior space111of the housing110by the cooling fan120is gradually accelerated while passing through the width decrease part111a, and then discharged to the outside the housing110through the first outlet116.

A plurality of communication holes131and132are formed at the lower bracket114. The plurality of communication holes131and132includes a first communication hole131guiding the fluid of an inside of a fluid passage guide150, which is described later, so as to be discharged to the interior space111of the housing110, and a second communication hole132guiding the fluid flowing in the interior space111so as to be discharged to the inside the fluid passage guide150. The first communication hole131is formed by slitting one portion of the lower bracket114, and the second communication hole132is formed by perforating another portion of the lower bracket114. In this case, one portion114aof the lower bracket114bent to an inner side of the housing110by being slit to form the first communication hole131prevents the fluid of the inside of the housing110from flowing backward and thus being introduced to the inside of the fluid passage guide150.

The first communication hole131may be formed at the parallel part111b, and the second communication hole132may be formed at the width decrease part111a. Since the first communication hole131is formed at the parallel part111b, the volume of the fluid being discharged to the interior space111of the housing110through the first communication hole131is maintained within a predetermined range. That is, in a case in which the first communication hole131is located at the width decrease part111a, the volume of the fluid being discharged through the first communication hole131may be significantly affected depending on the interval between the upper bracket112and the lower bracket114of a portion having the first communication hole131. However, in a case in which the interval between the upper bracket112and the lower bracket114of a portion having the first communication hole131is constant, the volume of the fluid being discharged through the first communication hole131is maintained within a predetermined range.

The fluid passage guide150communicating the inside of the cooking chamber20and the inside of the housing110is coupled to a lower surface of the lower bracket114.

The fluid passage guide150includes a first branch151passing through an upper frame20aof the cooking chamber20and a lower frame30aof the machine chamber30, a second branch152connected to the first branch151and coupled to the lower surface of the lower bracket114, and a third branch153connected to the second branch152and coupled to the lower surface of the lower bracket114.

A first terminal151acommunicating with the inside of the cooking chamber20is provided at one end of the first branch151, and the first branch151is provided at an inside thereof with a first fluid passage151balong which a fluid being introduced through the first terminal151aflows. A second terminal152acommunicating with the first communication hole131is provided at one end of the second branch152, and the second branch152forms a second fluid passage152b, along which a fluid being introduced through the first fluid passage151band a fluid being introduced through the third fluid passage153bflow, in cooperation with the lower surface of the lower bracket114. A third terminal153acommunicating with the second communication hole132is provided at one end of the third branch153, and the third branch153forms a third fluid passage153b, along which a fluid being introduced through the second communication hole132flows, in cooperation with the lower surface of the lower bracket114.

The second terminal152acommunicating with the first communication hole131has a cross section smaller than a cross section of the first fluid passage151b, and the second fluid passage152bhas a cross section decreased toward the second terminal152a. According to the shape of the fluid passage guide150, the Ventury effect occurs. The fluid being introduced to the fluid passage guide150from the inside of the cooking chamber20is gradually accelerated while passing through the first fluid passage151band the second fluid passage152b, and discharged to the interior space111of the housing110through the first communication hole131, and then discharged to the outside the housing110through the first outlet116.

Some of the fluid being introduced to the interior space111of the housing110by the cooling fan120is introduced to the third fluid passage153bthrough the second communication hole132and the third terminal153a. The fluid being introduced to the third fluid passage153bis introduced to the second fluid passage152bby a pressure drop occurring due to the flow of fluid passing through the second fluid passage152b, is discharged to the interior space111of the housing110through the first communication hole131together with the fluid passing through the second fluid passage152b, and then discharged to the outside the housing110through the first outlet116.

The fluid of the inside of the cooking chamber20being introduced through the first terminal151aand the fluid of the inside of the housing110being introduced through the second communication hole132and the third terminal153aare discharged to the interior space111of the housing110through the second terminal152a. According to the equation of continuity of fluid, the sum of the volume of a fluid being introduced to the first terminal151aamong the fluid of the inside of the cooking chamber20and the volume of a fluid being introduced through the second communication hole132and the third terminal153aamong the fluid of the inside of the housing110is equal to the volume of a fluid being discharged to the interior space111of the housing110through the second terminal152a. In addition, the volume of the fluid being discharged to the interior space111of the housing110through the second terminal152ais maintained constant. Accordingly, if the volume of a fluid being introduced through the second communication hole132and the third terminal153aamong the fluid of the inside the housing110is increased, the volume of a fluid being introduced to the first terminal151aamong the fluid of the cooking chamber20is decreased. On the contrary, if the volume of a fluid being introduced through the second communication hole132and the third terminal153aamong the fluid of the inside the housing110is decreased, the volume of a fluid being introduced to the first terminal151aamong the fluid of the cooking chamber20is increased.

By using such a principle, the volume of a fluid being discharged to the outside of the cooking chamber20from the inside of the cooking chamber20is adjusted. That is, the volume of a fluid being discharged from the inside of the cooking chamber20to the outside of the cooking chamber20is equal to the volume of a fluid being introduced to the first terminal151aamong the fluid of the inside of the cooking chamber10, and as described above, the volume of a fluid being introduced to the first terminal151aamong the fluid of the inside of the cooking chamber20varies with the volume of a fluid being introduced through the second communication hole132and the third terminal153a. Since the volume of the fluid being introduced through the second communication hole132and the third terminal153asubstantially relates to a cross section of the second communication hole132or a formation position of the second communication hole132on the lower bracket114, the volume of the fluid being discharged from the inside of the cooking chamber20to the outside of the cooking chamber20may be controlled by adjusting the cross section of the second communication hole132or the formation position of the second communication hole132. In this regard, the second communication hole132may be regarded as a flow control hole.

As described above, the flow control hole132is provided to control the volume of a fluid being discharged from the inside of the cooking chamber20to the outside of the cooking chamber20, thereby forming the interior of the cooking chamber20having an optimum cooking environment.

Hereinafter, the pop-up apparatus160provided at the front surface of the oven1will be described in detail.

FIG. 6is an exploded perspective view of a pop-up apparatus in accordance with an embodiment.FIG. 7Ais a cross sectional view of a pop-up apparatus in accordance with an embodiment, showing a knob disposed at a first position.FIG. 7Bis a cross sectional view of a pop-up apparatus in accordance with an embodiment, showing a knob disposed at a second position. The pop-up apparatus in accordance with the embodiment may be applied to various types of electronic products such as an oven, a washing machine and a refrigerator, and for the convenience of description, the following description will be made in relation to a pop-up apparatus applied to an oven as an example.

Referring toFIGS. 1, 6, 7A and 7B, the pop-up apparatus160includes a knob housing161installed at the front surface panel33of the oven1and coupled to a rear surface of the front surface panel33, a knob162accommodated in the knob housing161, a guide member164guiding a sliding movement of the knob162, and an elastic member163disposed between the knob162and the guide member164to press the knob162.

The knob housing161includes a coupling part161acoupled to the rear surface of the front surface panel33, a guide hole161bformed through the coupling part161aand allowing the knob162to move to a front side of the front surface panel33, and a plurality of coupling bosses161cextending to a rear side such that the circuit board166is coupled thereto.

The guide hole161bincludes at least one restriction rib171protruding from an inner circumferential surface of the guide hole161b. The restriction rib171may be provided in one unit thereof formed in a ring shape along the inner circumferential surface of the guide hole161b, or may be provided in plural units thereof disposed while being spaced apart from each other along the inner circumferential surface of the guide hole161b. The restriction rib171restricts the tilting of the knob162accommodated in the knob housing161. That is, in a case in which the knob152is tilted due to its own weight in a state of being accommodated in the knob housing161, or tilted by being pressed by a link member (not shown) connecting the knob152to the guide member164, the restriction rib171supports a side surface of the knob162in response to the tilting direction, thereby restricting the tilting of the knob162. In addition, the restriction rib171prevents the inside of the pop-up apparatus160from being exposed through a gap G between the knob162and the guide hole161bin a state that the knob162is accommodated in the knob housing161, and enables the gap G between the knob162and the guide hole161bto be constant in a circumferential direction of the knob162, so that the external appearance of the product is improved while improving the reliability of the product.

In addition, the guide hole161bincludes at least one locking protrusion173protruding from the inner circumferential surface of the guide hole161b. The locking protrusion173is disposed at a rear of the restriction rib171, and makes contact with a flange part162bof the knob162, which is to be described later, to maintain the knob162at a first position in which the knob162protrudes to the front side of the front surface panel33while restricting an axial direction movement of the knob162. The locking protrusion174may be provided in one unit thereof formed in a ring shape along the inner circumferential surface of the guide hole161b, or may be provided in plural units thereof disposed while being spaced apart from each other along the inner circumferential surface of the guide hole161b.

The knob162includes a body part162aprovided in a cylindrical shape having one side open, and a flange part162bformed at one end of the body part162a.

The body part162aincludes a cross section enlargement part172having a cross section of at least one section thereof getting enlarged while nearing the front side of the front surface panel33in a central axial direction C. Accordingly, when compared to a cross section of one end of the body part162aadjacent to the flange part162b, a cross section of the other end of the body part162aprotruding to the front side of the front surface panel33by passing through the front surface panel33is larger.

The cross section enlargement part172serves to prevent the interior of the pop-up apparatus160from being exposed through the gab B between the knob162and the guide hole161bin a state that the knob162is accommodated in the knob housing161, in cooperation with the restriction rib171, and maintain the gap G between the knob162and the guide hole161bconstant along the circumferential direction of the knob162.

The flange part162bextends from one end of the knob162in a radial direction of the knob162. The flange part162bmakes contact with the locking protrusion173to maintain the knob162at the first position in which the knob162protrudes to the front side of the front surface panel33while restricting the axial direction movement of the knob162. The flange part162band the locking protrusion173form a stopper member180.

A rotary encoder168is coupled to a front surface of the circuit board166, and the guide member164is coupled to a rotary shaft168aof the rotary encoder168. The rotary encoder168detects the rotation direction, rotation speed, and rotation amount of the guide member164coupled to the rotary shaft168a, and converts the detected rotation direction, rotation speed, and rotation amount to electric signals.

The guide member164is provided in a form of a cylinder having one end coupled to the rotary shaft168aof the rotary encoder168and the other end provided in an open state. An outer circumferential surface of the guide member164makes contact with an inner circumferential surface of the knob162to guide the sliding movement of the knob162, and if a rotating force is applied to the knob152in a state in which the knob162is disposed at the first position of protruding to the front side of the front surface panel33, the guide member164rotates together with the knob162, thereby rotating the rotary shaft168aof the rotary encoder168.

The elastic member163is provided between the knob162and the guide member163. The elastic member163is disposed in a space S formed between the body part162aof the knob162and the guide member163so as to be pressed, and serves to press the knob162to the front side.

The knob162may be provided so as to be disposed at the first position of protruding to the front side of the front surface panel33and a second position of being inserted to a rear side of the front surface panel33. In a state that the knob162is disposed at the second position, if a user presses a front surface of the knob162, the knob162protrudes to the front side so as to be disposed at the first position, and in a state that the knob162is disposed at the first position, if a user presses the front surface of the knob162again, the knob162is inserted to the rear side of the front surfaced panel33so as to be disposed at the second position.

The stopper member180including the flange part162band the locking protrusion173restricts the movement of the knob162such that the knob162is disposed at the first position. In addition, the flange part162band the locking protrusion173make a surface contact with each other, thereby restricting the shake of the knob162in a state of the knob162being disposed at the first position.

The restriction rib171restricts the tilting of the knob162in a state that the knob162is disposed at the second position. The restriction rib171and the cross section enlargement part172prevent the interior of the pop-up apparatus160from being exposed through the gap G between the knob162and the guide hole161bin a state that the knob162is disposed at the second position, and enable the gap G between the knob162and the guide hole161bto be constant in a circumferential direction of the knob162, so that the external appearance of the product is improved while improving the reliability of the product.

FIG. 8is a perspective view of a knob of a pop-up apparatus in accordance with another embodiment.

Referring toFIG. 8, a knob262in accordance with another embodiment includes a first portion271including a cross section enlargement part275and a second portion272including a flange part262b.

The first portion271and the second portion272are coupled so as to be separated from each other. A plurality of hooks272aprotruding from one surface of the flange part262bfacing the first portion271are formed at one end of the second portion272, and a plurality of hook holes271aare formed at one end of the first portion271such that the plurality of hooks272aare insertedly fixed to the plurality of hook holes271a.

Since the knob262is composed of the first portion271provided so as to be separated from the second portion272, the knob262is manufactured through an injection molding for the productivity. In a case in which the first portion271is not separated from the second portion272, the cross section enlargement part275causes an inverse gradient in a direction opposite to a direction in which the knob262is pulled from a mold after being completed with curing in the mold, thereby having a difficulty of an operator in separating the knob262from the mold. In order to remove such a constraint, the first portion271and the second portion272are manufactured from different molds, respectively, and coupled to each other, thereby manufacturing the knob262including the cross section enlargement part275and the flange part262bthrough an injection molding while improving the productivity.

As is apparent from the above description, the embodiments can control the volume of a fluid being discharged from the inside of the cooking chamber, so that the environment of the inside of the cooking chamber is maintained in a constant state at all times.