Abstract:
An electric oven has an air passage structure that is designed to effectively cool down electric components. The air passage structure quickly cools down a variety of electric components on a top surface of a cavity using air introduced from outside the oven. The oven has a series of passages and openings allowing the effective movement of air past the electric components and through the oven.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 and 35 U.S.C. 365 to Korean Patent Application No, 10-2008-0030127 (filed on Apr. 1, 2008), which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The present disclosure relates to a cooling structure of an electric oven. 
         [0003]    An electric oven is generally used for baking or roasting food by heating the food using electricity. The electric oven is provided with a cooking chamber that is selectively opened and closed by a door. The electric oven includes electric components for generating microwaves and/or a heating source such as a heater for generating heat. Therefore, the food in the cooking chamber is cooked by the microwaves generated by the electric components and/or the heat generated by the heater. 
         [0004]    In recent years, in order to maximizing a volume of the cooking chamber, a variety of electric components are installed above the cavity. In this case, the electric components, however, may be out of order or malfunction. In addition, airflow for dissipating heat generated in a space where the electric components are installed is not effectively realized and thus the electric components cannot be effectively cooled down. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    Embodiments provide an electric oven that is designed to be provided with an air passage that can enhance the cooling of a variety of electric components installed above a cavity. 
         [0006]    In one embodiment, an electric oven includes a cavity defining a cooking chamber therein and an outer case enclosing the cavity. A supporting plate disposed between a top surface of the cavity and the outer case has a plurality of electric components. A control panel is mounted on a front end portions of the cavity and the outer case. A dividing member isolates a space formed above the supporting plate from a space formed under the supporting plate. 
         [0007]    In another embodiment, an electric oven includes a cavity defining a cooking chamber and a door pivotally provided on a front surface of the cavity. An outer case encloses the cavity and has a side with an external air inlet. A supporting plate divides a space defined between a top surface of the cavity and a top surface of the outer case into first and second passages. The supporting plate is provided at an opposite edge to the external air inlet with a communication opening by which an airflow direction in the second passage intersects an airflow direction in the first passage. 
         [0008]    In still another embodiment, an electric oven includes a cavity defining a cooking chamber and an outer case covering at least an upper portion of the cavity. A supporting plate is provided between the outer case and the cavity and on which electric components are installed. A fan assembly is provided at a downstream side of a first passage formed between the cavity and the supporting plate and a communication opening that is formed on the supporting plate to allow the first passage to communicate with a second passage defined between the supporting plate and the outer case. 
         [0009]    According to the embodiments, a passage along which high temperature air discharged from the cooking chamber and high air used to cool down the door and a passage along which air for cooling down the components of the electric oven are separated from each other. Therefore, the components of the electric oven can be more effectively cooled down and thus endurance and operation reliability of the product can be improved. 
         [0010]    The details of one or more embodiments are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view illustrating an internal structure of an electric oven. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a partially cut-away perspective view of the electric oven of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged view of a portion A of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a front perspective view of a second insulation plate illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view illustrating an internal structure of an electric oven according to another embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       [0016]    Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the present disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings; 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view illustrating an internal structure of an electric oven according to an embodiment. 
         [0018]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , an electric oven includes a cavity  10 , an outer case  20 , a control panel  30 , and a door  40 . The cavity  10  defines a cooking chamber  11  in which food is cooked. The door  40  selectively opens and closes the cooking chamber  11 . The outer case  20  defines top and both side surfaces of the electric oven. The control panel  30  receives a variety of manipulation signals for operating the electric oven to control the electric oven and displays a variety of information on the operation of the electric oven. 
         [0019]    In addition, the cavity  10  includes a front plate  110 , an inner cavity  120 , and an outer cavity  130 . In more detail, the front plate  110  defines a front surface of the cavity  10 . The inner cavity  120  substantially defines top, bottom, both side and rear surfaces of the cooking chamber  11 . That is, the inner cavity  120  includes an upper plate  121 , a bottom plate  122 , side plates, and back plates  123 . The outer cavity  130  encloses the inner cavity  120  in a state where it is spaced apart from the inner cavity  120 . That is, like the inner cavity  120 , the outer cavity  130  includes an upper plate  131 , a bottom plate, side plates, and a back plate  133 . 
         [0020]    Meanwhile, an opening  111  is defined by an inner circumference of the front plate  110  to load and withdraw the food in and from the cooking chamber  11 . That is, a front surface of the front plate  110  has an opening  111  formed in a rectangular shape defined by a rectangular inner circumference of the front plate  110 . A first air inlet  113  is formed on an upper end of the front plate  110  so that air flowing in the door can be directed to an outer-upper surface of the cavity  10 . The front plate  110  covers front end portions of the inner cavity  120  and the outer cavity  130  and extends above the outer cavity  130 . The first air inlet  113  is formed on a portion of the front plate  110 , which is disposed above the outer cavity  130 . An air outlet  43  of the door that will be described later is located in front of the first air inlet  113 . 
         [0021]    As previously described, since the outer cavity  130  is spaced apart from the inner cavity  120 , an insulation layer may be formed between the inner and outer cavities  120  and  130 . An insulation material may be filled in the insulation layer. For simplicity, the upper and back plates  121  and  123  of the inner cavity  120  will be respectively referred to as a first upper plate and a first back plate  123 . In addition, the upper and back plates  131  and  133  of the outer cavity  130  will be referred to as a second upper plate  131  and a second back plate  133 . 
         [0022]    An opening communicating with the cooking chamber is formed on a portion of the first upper plate. The opening functions as an outlet through which air containing moisture generated from the food is exhausted to the outside. 
         [0023]    An upper heater  115  and a convection unit  117  may be provided on an under surface of the first upper plate  121  and a front surface of the first back plate  123 , respectively. The upper heater  115  functions to heat the food in the cooking chamber  11  using radiant heat and the convection unit  117  functions to heat the food in the cooking chamber  11  using convection heat. 
         [0024]    Meanwhile, an opening  135  is formed on the second upper plate  131 . While the opening  135  of the second upper plate  131  substantially communicates with the opening of the first upper plate  121 . The opening  135  of the second upper plate  131  may be formed right above the opening of the first upper plate  121 , the locations of the openings are not specifically limited. In more detail, the opening  135  functions as a passage through which the air exhausted through the opening of the first upper plate  121  flows along a first passage P 1  that will be described later. 
         [0025]    In addition, a plurality of second communication openings  137  are provided on a rear end portion of the second upper plate  131 . The second communication openings  137  are formed by partly cutting the rear end portion of the second upper plate  131 . The second communication openings  137  connect the first passage P 1  to a third passage P 3 . The third passage P 3  is formed between the first and second back plates  123  and  133 . 
         [0026]    Meanwhile, the outer case  20  includes a top plate  201  defining a top surface of the electric oven and two lateral plates  203  defining both side surfaces of the electric oven. Further, a predetermined space is defined between the top plate  201  and the second upper plate  131 . In addition, one of the lateral plates  203  is provided with a second air inlet  205  through which external air is introduced. The external air introduced through the second air inlet  205  flows along a second passage P 2  formed between the top plate  201  and a supporting plate  140 . 
         [0027]    The supporting plate  140  is provided in a space defined between the second upper plate  131  and the top plate  201 . The supporting plate  140  is spaced apart from the second upper plate  131  to define a part of the first passage P 1 . An upper portion of the supporting plate  140  is covered by the top plate  210  to define the second passage P 2 . In addition, the supporting plate  140  has a shorter front-rear length than the second upper plate  131  or the top plate  201 . 
         [0028]    According to the above-described structure, an upstream side of the first passage P 1  communicates with a door air outlet  43  and a downstream side of the first passage P 1  communicates with the second communication openings  137 . An upstream side of the second passage P 2  communicates with the second air inlet  205 . Therefore, the air introduced through the door air outlet  43  flows along the first passage P 1  and the external air introduced through the second air inlet  20  flows along the second passage P 2 . 
         [0029]    Meanwhile, supporting portions  141  extend from opposite side end portions of the supporting plates  140 . The supporting portions  141  may be formed by portions of the opposite side end portions that are bent. Lower ends of the supporting portions  141  are respectively fixed on opposite top-side end portions of the second upper plate  131 . A first communication opening  143  is formed on a side of the supporting plate  140 . The first communication opening  143  functions as a passage connecting the first passage P 1  to the second passage P 2 . Therefore, the air flowing along the second passage P 2  is joined with the air flowing along the passage P 1  through the first communication opening  143 . 
         [0030]    Here, the first communication opening  143  may be formed on an opposite side to the second air inlet  205 . Therefore, the external air introduced through the second air inlet  205  cools down the components of the control panel  30  as it flows toward the first communication opening  143 , as explained later. 
         [0031]    In addition, a dividing plate  145  is formed on a rear end of the supporting plate  140 . In more detail, the dividing plate  145  extends upward from the rear end of the supporting plate  140  to closely contact an undersurface of the top plate  201 . In the embodiment, the dividing plate  145  may be formed by bending the rear end portion of the supporting plate  140  upward. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this configuration. That is, a separate plate may be fixed on the rear end of the supporting plate  140  as the dividing plate  145 . 
         [0032]    According to the above-described structure, the dividing plate  145  functions to separate (or isolate) the first and second passages P 1  and P 2  from each other. That is, the first passage P 1  is formed extending in a front-rear direction of the electric oven and the second passage P 2  is formed extending in a lateral direction of the electric oven by the dividing plate  145 . The dividing plate  145  prevents the air flowing along the first passage P 1  from backing up toward the second passage P 2 . 
         [0033]    Further, a variety of components such as a high voltage transformer  147  and a relay substrate  149  may be installed on a top surface of the supporting plate  140 . Therefore, the components installed on the top surface of the supporting plate  140  are cooled down by the air flowing along the second passage P 2 . 
         [0034]    In addition to the first communication opening  143  is provided on a side of the supporting plate  140 , it is noted that a first communication opening  145   a  may be provided on a predetermined position of the dividing plate  145 . Further, it is noted that a couple of first communication openings  143 , 145   a  may be provided on a side of the supporting plate  140  and a predetermined position of the dividing plate  145  as well. 
         [0035]    A third passage P 3  is defined between the first back plate  123  and the second back plate  133 . An upstream side of the third passage P 3  is connected to the downstream side of the first passage P 1  through the second communication openings  137 . Therefore, the air flowing along the first passage P 1  flows downward along the third passage P 3 . 
         [0036]    Further, a fan assembly  150  is installed on a rear end portion of the second upper plate  131 . The fan assembly  150  generates an air current so that the air can flow along the first to third passages P 1 , P 2 , and P 3  and a door cooling passage P 4  that will be described later. The fan assembly  150  includes a fan motor  151  and a fan  153  that is driven by the fan motor  151 . In the embodiment, an air inlet of the fan  153  is oriented frontward and an air outlet of the fan  153  is oriented to communicate with one of the second communication openings  137 . 
         [0037]    In addition, the airflow in the electric oven by the fan assembly  150  will be described hereinafter. 
         [0038]    The air ascending along the door cooling passage P 4  passes through the first air inlet  113  to flow rearward along the first passage P 1 . The external air introduced through the second air inlet  205  flows along the second passage P 2  and passes through the first communication opening  143 . The external air passing through the first communication openings  143  is joined together at the first passage P 1 . The joined air flows along the first passages P 1  and passes through the second communication opening  137 . Subsequently, the air flows downward along the third passage P 3 . Although not shown in the drawing, the third passage P 3  may be connected to a passage formed on an undersurface of the cavity  10 . Therefore, the air flowing along the third passage P 3  may be exhausted frontward from the electric oven. 
         [0039]    Meanwhile, the control panel  30  is installed on an upper end portion of a front portion of the cavity  10 . In more detail, the control panel  30  includes a control casing  31  defining an exterior of the control panel  30 , a control plate  33  installed in the control casing  31 , and a main printed circuit board  35  and a display printed circuit board  37  that are installed on the control plate  33 . The plurality of electric components for controlling the operation of the electric oven are mounted on the main printed circuit board  35 . A plurality of electric components for displaying a variety of information on the operation of the electric oven are mounted on the display printed circuit board  37 . The main printed circuit board  35  and the display printed circuit board  37  are installed on left and right portions of a back surface of the control plate  33 . Further, the main printed circuit board  35  and the display printed circuit board  37  are exposed to the second passage P 2 . Therefore, the main printed circuit board  35  and the display printed circuit board  37  are cooled down by the air flowing along the second passage P 2 . 
         [0040]    Further, the door  40  functions to not only selectively open and close the cooking chamber  11  but also prevent the heat generated in the cooking chamber  11  from being transferred to the external side of the door. To realize this, the door  40  includes a door panel  410 , a front glass  420 , a doorframe  430 , an inner glass  441 , an insulation plate, and a door handle  480 . 
         [0041]      FIG. 2  is a partially cut-away perspective view of the electric oven of  FIG. 1 , and  FIG. 3  is an enlarged view of a portion A of  FIG. 2 . 
         [0042]    Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the door panel  410  defines front, top, and both side surfaces of the door  40 . A window  411  is formed in the door panel  410 . The window  411  is formed to allow a user to identify a cooking state of the food in the cooking chamber  11 . The front glass  420  closely contacts a rear surface of the door panel  410  to cover the window  411 . That is, the front glass  420  shields the window  411  of the door panel  410  to substantially define a portion of the front portion of the door  40 . 
         [0043]    The doorframe  430  defines a rear frame of the door  40 . The doorframe  430  is formed in a same rectangular shape as the door  40 . The inner circumference of the doorframe defines an opening having a same size as the window  411 . 
         [0044]    As described above, the door air outlet  43  is formed on a rear surface of the door  40 , i.e., a top surface of the doorframe  430 . The air ascending along the inside of the door  40  is exhausted to the first passage P 1  through the door air outlet  43 . The door air outlet communicates with the first air inlet  113  when the door  40  closes the cooking chamber  11 . 
         [0045]    The rear glass  440  closes the opening defined by the inner circumference of the doorframe  430  and defines a portion of the exterior of the inner surface of the door  40 . To realize this, the rear glass  440  is provided on a front surface of the doorframe  430 . 
         [0046]    The inner glass  441  is defined between the front and rear glasses  420  and  440 . Therefore, an inner space between the front and rear glasses  420  and  440  is divided into front and rear spaces by the inner glass  441 . 
         [0047]    Peripheral portions of the inner and rear glasses  441  and  440  are supported by a glass pack  450 . In more detail, the glass pack  450  is provided with insertion grooves  451  in which the inner and rear glasses  4410  and  440  are inserted. The insertion grooves  451  are spaced apart from each other. 
         [0048]    An insulation plate is provided in front of the doorframe  430  to form an insulation layer on the Peripheral portions of the glasses  440  and  441 . Further, the insulation plate includes a first insulation plate  470  and a second insulation plate  460  provided on an inner side of the first insulation plate  470 . 
         [0049]    An outer peripheral portion  471  of the first insulation plate  470  is attached to the doorframe  430  and an inner peripheral portion of the first insulation plate  470  is attached to the front surface of the inner glass  441 . Further, an outer peripheral portion  461  of the second insulation plate  460  is attached to the front surface of the doorframe  430  and an inner peripheral portion  462  of the second insulation plate  460  closely contacts the rear surface of the first insulation plate  470 . At this point, the outer peripheral portion  461  of the second insulation plate  460  is disposed below the outer peripheral portion  471  of the first insulation plate  470  at a predetermined interval. As shown in the drawings, the second insulation plate  460  is bent at three locations so that a part of the second insulation plate  460  can surface-contact the rear surface of the first insulation plate  470 . However, the second insulation plate  460  is not limited to this configuration. For example, the second insulation plate  460  can be bent at only two locations so that the inner peripheral portion  462  can approximately line-contact the rear surface of the first insulation plate  470 . 
         [0050]    The insulation layer is defined between the first insulation plate  470  and the doorframe  430  and the second insulation plate  460  is inserted in the insulation layer. Therefore, the insulation layer is divided into first and second insulation layers  47  and  49 . As a result, the transferring of the heat generated in the cooking chamber to the external side is remarkably reduced. 
         [0051]    Further, a space defined in the door  40  is divided into the door cooling passage P 4  formed between the front glass  420  and the inner glass  441 , a main insulation layer  45  formed between the inner glass  441  and the rear glass  440 , and a sub-insulation layer formed in front of the doorframe  430 . Here, the sub-insulation layer includes the first and second insulation layers  47  and  49  that are formed on the peripheral portions of the inner and rear glasses  441  and  440 . 
         [0052]    In addition, the door handle  480  is provided on a front-upper end portion of the door panel  410  corresponding to a portion above the window  411  of the door panel  410 . The door handle  480  is a portion the user grasps to open and close the door  40 . 
         [0053]    Meanwhile, a lower end portion of the door cooling passage P 4  communicates with the door air inlet  41  formed on the undersurface of the door  40 . An upper end portion of the door cooling passage P 4  communicates with the door air outlet  43 . Therefore, the air introduced through the door air inlet  41  ascends along the door cooling passage P 4  and is exhausted through the door air outlet  43 . 
         [0054]    Further, the main insulation layer  45  is formed by the rear glass  440 , inner glass  441 , and glass pack  450 . The first and second insulation layers  47  and  49  are respectively formed on the front surface of the doorframe  430  and along the peripheral portions of the inner and rear glasses  441  and  440 . In addition, the second insulation layer  49  may be formed above the first insulation layer  47  by the second insulation plate  460 . 
         [0055]    By the sub-insulation layer structure, the transferring of the heat to the external side of the door  40  via the peripheral portions of the glasses  440  and  441  and the door frame  430  can be minimized. 
         [0056]      FIG. 4  is a front perspective view of the second insulation plate. 
         [0057]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , the second insulation plate  460  is formed in a rectangular shape and provided with an opening  463  defined by an inner circumference. 
         [0058]    In more detail, an outer peripheral  461  of the second insulation plate  460  closely contacts the front surface of the door frame  430  and an inner peripheral portion  462  of the second insulation plate  460  closely contacts the rear surface of the first insulation plate  470 . The second insulation plate  460  partly surface-contacts the first insulation plate  470  depending on its shape. As previously described, the inner peripheral portion  461  may line-contact the first insulation plate  470 . 
         [0059]    The following will describe the operation of the door of the electric oven in more detail. 
         [0060]    First, when a user input manipulation signals through the control panel  30 , the electric oven operates in accordance with the input manipulation signals to cook the food loaded in the cooking chamber. That is, the upper heater  115  and/or the convection unit  117  are driven to heat the food in the cooking chamber  11 . In addition, when the electric oven operates, the fan assembly  150  is driven to generate air current in the electric oven. 
         [0061]    In more detail, when the fan assembly  150  is driven, external air is introduced into the door cooling passage P 4  through the door air inlet  43 . Further, the external air is further introduced into the second passage P 2  through the second air inlet  205 . The air introduced to the second passage P 2  is directed to the first passage P 1  through the first communication opening  143 . The air introduced into the door cooling passage P 4  is exhausted to the first passage P 1  through the door outlet  43  and the first air inlet  113 . The air introduced into the first passage P 1  is directed to the third passage P 3  through the second communication openings  137  by the fan assembly  150 . 
         [0062]    Meanwhile, moisture and/or oil is generated in the course of cooking the food in the cooking chamber  11 . The moisture and/or oil is exhausted together with the air in the cooking chamber  11  to the first passage P 1  through the openings  135  formed on the first and second upper plates  121  and  131  by the fan assembly  150  and is then directed together with the air flowing along the first passage P 1  to the third passage way P 3 . 
         [0063]    Meanwhile, the air introduced into the second passage P 2  through the second air inlet  205  cools down not only the components of the control panel but also the high voltage transformer  147  and relay substrate  149  that are installed on the top surface of the supporting plate  140  as it flows along the second passage P 2 . 
         [0064]    Here, the second passage P 2  is completely isolated from the first passage P 1  by the dividing plate  145  and communicates with the first passage P 1  only through the first communication opening  143 . Therefore, an airflow rate in the second passage P 2  increases and thus the electric components and the control panel components can be quickly cooled down. 
         [0065]      FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view illustrating an internal structure of an electric oven according to a second embodiment. 
         [0066]    In the first and second embodiments, like reference numbers will be used to refer to like parts, a description of which will be omitted herein. 
         [0067]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , according to this second embodiment, the second passage P 2  is further divided into a control panel side passage and an electric component side passage. 
         [0068]    In more detail, an air guide  146  may be provided in the second passage P 2 . That is, the air guide  146  may be disposed along an airflow direction in the second passage P 2  and spaced apart rearward from the control panel  30 . 
         [0069]    The air guide  146  allows the air introduced into the second passage P 2  through the second air inlet  205  to be divided to flow along an electric component region defined on a top surface of the supporting plate  140  and the component region of the control panel  30 . Accordingly, the components installed on the top surface of the supporting plate  140  and the components of the control panel  30  can be more effectively cooled down. 
         [0070]    In more detail, the air guide  146  has a length extending in the airflow direction in the second passage P 2 , i.e., in a left-right direction of the electric oven. Therefore, a part of the air introduced into the second passage P 2  through the second air inlet  205  is used to cool down the high voltage transformer  147  and the relay substrate  149  and is subsequently directed to the first passage P 1  through the first communication opening  143 . The rest of the air introduced into the second passage P 2  through the second air inlet  205  is used to cool down the main printed circuit board  35  and the display printed circuit board  37  and is subsequently directed to the first passage P 1  through the first communication opening  143 . 
         [0071]    As described in  FIG. 1 , another first communication opening  145   a  may be formed on a predetermined position of the dividing plate  145 , instead of the first communication opening  143  is formed on a side edge of the supporting plate  140 . Furthermore, a couple of first communication openings  143 , 145   a  may be respectively formed on the supporting plate  140  and the dividing plate  145  as well. 
         [0072]    Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number of illustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art that will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles of this disclosure. More particularly, various variations and modifications are possible in the component parts and/or arrangements of the subject combination arrangement within the scope of the disclosure, the drawings and the appended claims. In addition to variations and modifications in the component parts and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also be apparent to those skilled in the art. 
         [0073]    For example, in the embodiments, although the external air is exemplarily introduced through the door air inlet  41  and the second air inlet  205 , the present disclosure is not limited to this configuration. That is, the external air may be introduced through a gap formed by an assembling line of the outer case  20  defining the exterior of the electric oven.