Patent Publication Number: US-11047579-B2

Title: Oven

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2016-0115371, filed on Sep. 8, 2016 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Field 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an oven, and more specifically, to an oven including a lamp having a double insulation structure. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Generally, an oven is an apparatus for cooking food by being provided with a cooking chamber, a heating device configured to apply heat to the cooking chamber, and a circulating fan configured to circulate the heat generated by the heating device in the cooking chamber. 
     An oven is an apparatus for cooking food by sealing and heating the food, and can be generally classified into an electric oven, a gas oven, and a microwave oven according to a heat source. The electric oven uses an electric heater as a heat source, and the gas oven and the microwave oven use gas heat and frictional heat from water molecules due to a high frequency as heat sources, respectively. 
     A state of food inside a cooking chamber need be checked during a cooking process using an oven. Thus, a lamp is provided at the cooking chamber or a door for opening or closing the cooking chamber. 
     The lamp can be heated by heat of the cooking chamber. When the lamp overheats, a lifetime of the lamp can be decreased. 
     SUMMARY 
     Therefore, it is an aspect of the present disclosure to provide an oven including a lamp having a double insulation structure. 
     It is another aspect of the present disclosure to provide an oven configured to prevent a lamp disposed adjacent to a cooking chamber from being overheated. 
     It is still another aspect of the present disclosure to provide an oven in which a lifetime of a lamp configured to illuminate an inside of a cooking chamber is increased. 
     Additional aspects of the disclosure will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the disclosure. 
     In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, an oven includes a cooking chamber, a first insulating case mounted on one surface of the cooking chamber, a first case coupled to the first insulating case to form a first insulated space, a second insulating case having at least a part thereof disposed inside the first insulated space, a second case coupled to the second insulating case to form a second insulated space, and a lamp disposed inside the second insulated space to be doubly insulated from heat of the cooking chamber. 
     The first case may include a through hole through which a part of the second case and a part of the second insulating case pass. 
     The first case may further include a location determination groove formed outwardly in a radial direction of the through hole from one side of the through hole. 
     The second case may include a location determination protrusion formed to protrude outward in the radial direction from a side surface of the second case to correspond to the location determination groove. 
     The first case may include an elastic piece provided on a side surface thereof and the first insulating case may include a hooking groove provided to catch the elastic piece. 
     The first insulating case may include a boss part inserted into the first case. 
     The oven may further include a ring member provided between the first case and the second insulating case to minimize a gap between the first case and the second insulating case. 
     Each of the first case and the second case may include an outlet to discharge heat. 
     The outlet is formed by at least a part of each of the first case and the second case being bent. 
     The second insulating case may include a screw and the second case may include a coupling protrusion provided to be screw-coupled to the screw. 
     The coupling protrusion may be disposed in a spiral form along an inner circumference surface of the second case. 
     Each of the first insulating case and the second insulating case may include a glass material. 
     The lamp may include a halogen lamp. 
     The first insulating case may be mounted on an upper surface of the cooking chamber. 
     The first insulating case may be mounted on a side surface of the cooking chamber. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, a lamp assembly includes a first insulating case, a first case coupled to the first insulating case to form a first insulated space, a second insulating case having at least a part thereof disposed inside the first insulated space, a second case coupled to the second insulating case to form a second insulated space and a lamp disposed inside the second insulated space to be doubly insulated from external heat. 
     The second insulating case may include a screw and the second case may include a location determination protrusion configured to protrude outward in a radial direction from a side surface of the second case. 
     The first case may include a through hole through which the screw passes, and a location determination groove formed outwardly in a radial direction of the through hole from one side of the through hole to correspond to the location determination protrusion. 
     The lamp assembly may further include a ring member into which the screw is inserted to minimize a gap between the through hole and the second insulating case. 
     In accordance with still another aspect of the present disclosure, an oven includes a body having a cooking chamber, a lamp disposed inside the body, a first insulating case having at least a part thereof disposed inside the cooking chamber and configured to primarily shield the lamp from heat of the cooking chamber and a second insulating case having at least a part thereof disposed inside the first insulating case and configured to accommodate the lamp to secondarily shield the lamp from the heat of the cooking chamber. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and/or other aspects of the disclosure will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an oven in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a view illustrating a state in which a door is opened in the oven in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 3  is a side cross-sectional view of the oven in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of part A in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a lamp assembly in the oven in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded perspective view of the lamp assembly illustrated in  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  is an enlarged view illustrating a first transparent case and a first case in the oven in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 8  is an enlarged view illustrating a second transparent case, a second case, and a ring member in the oven in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 9  is a side view of the second case in the oven in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 10  is an exploded view illustrating main components of the lamp assembly in the oven in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure; and 
         FIG. 11  is a view illustrating a state in which a door is opened in an oven in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an oven in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG. 2  is a view illustrating a state in which a door is opened in the oven in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure, and  FIG. 3  is a side cross-sectional view of the oven in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. Further,  FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of part A in  FIG. 3 . 
     An oven  1  may include a housing  10  forming an appearance thereof, a cooking chamber  20  located inside the housing  10 , and a cooktop  30 , which is provided on an upper end of oven  1  to have a container including a food placed thereon and is capable of heating the container. Alternatively, the oven  1  may not include a cooktop on an upper surface thereof. 
     The housing  10  may include a front panel  11  forming a front surface of the housing  10 , a side panel  13  forming a side surface of the housing  10 , and a rear panel  14  forming a rear surface of the housing  10 . 
     The cooking chamber  20  is provided inside the housing  10  in a box type and a front surface thereof may be open so that a food may be placed therein and taken therefrom. An opening  12  provided to correspond to the cooking chamber  20  whose front surface is open may be provided in the front panel  11 . The open front surface of the cooking chamber  20  may be opened and closed by a door unit  40 . 
     A plurality of supports  21  may be provided inside the cooking chamber  20 . Racks  23  on which the food may be placed may be mounted on the plurality of supports  21 . The plurality of supports  21  may be provided to protrude from a left side wall and a right side wall of the cooking chamber  20 . 
     Dividers (not shown) capable of dividing the cooking chamber  20  may be detachably mounted on the plurality of supports  21 . Specifically, the dividers (not shown) are mounted laterally in the cooking chamber  20  and may divide the cooking chamber  20  into a plurality of cooking chambers. 
     The plurality of cooking chambers may have the same size or different sizes. The dividers (not shown) may include an insulating material to insulate each of the cooking chambers  20 , thereby a space of the cooking chamber  20  can be utilized in various ways according to a purpose of a user. 
     A heater  22  configured to heat the food may be provided in the cooking chamber  20 . In accordance with the embodiment, the heater  22  may be an electric heater including an electric resistor. Alternatively, unlike the embodiment, the heater  22  may be a gas heater configured to generate heat by combusting gas. That is, the oven  1  in accordance with the embodiment of the present disclosure may include an electric oven and a gas oven. 
     A circulating fan  25  configured to circulate air in the cooking chamber  20  so that the food is uniformly heated and a circulating motor  24  configured to drive the circulating fan  25  may be provided in the rear of the cooking chamber  20 . A fan cover  26  configured to cover the circulating fan  25  may be provided in front of the circulating fan  25 , and through holes  27  may be formed in the fan cover  26  so that air flows through the through holes  27 . 
     The door unit  40  may be hinge-coupled to a lower side of the housing  10  to be rotatable with respect to the housing  10 . Alternatively, although not shown, the door unit  40  may be hinge-coupled to a left side or a right side of the housing  10 . 
     The door unit  40  may include a transparent portion  42  made of a transparent material such as a glass or the like so that a cooking process of the cooking food inside the cooking chamber  20  may be externally visible. The door unit  40  may include a front door frame  41   a  and a rear door frame  41   b  provided along edges of the transparent portion  42 . The front door frame  41   a  may include a front frame opening  41   aa  at which the transparent portion  42  is formed, and the rear door frame  41   b  may include a rear frame opening  41   bb.    
     A plurality of glass members  43  may be provided in the door unit  40  so that an inside of the cooking chamber  20  may be visible. The transparent portion  42  may be made of a transparent material other than the plurality of glass members  43 . The plurality of glass members  43  may be disposed to be separated in frontward and rearward directions. 
     A door suction port  44  through which air may be introduced into the door unit  40  may be provided in a lower end of the door unit  40 . External air introduced into the lower end of the door unit  40  may be heat-exchanged with heat transmitted from the cooking chamber  20  while moving toward an upper side of the door unit  40  and then be discharged through a door discharge port  45  provided in the rear door frame  41   b  located in the rear of the door unit  40 . Through this configuration, the present disclosure may cool an internal heat of the door unit  40  due to the circulation of air. 
     A handle  50  graspable by a user so that the door may be easily opened and closed may be provided on an upper end of a front surface of the door unit  40 . However, when the door unit  40  is hinge-coupled to the left side or the right side of the housing, the handle  50  may be provided on a right side or a left side of the front surface of the door unit  40 , which corresponds to the side of the hinge-coupled door. 
     The handle  50  may protrude forward by a predetermined distance from the front surface of the door unit  40 . That is, handle  50  may include a pair of handle supporters  51  extending forward from the front surface of the door unit  40 , and a handle extender  52  connecting the pair of handle supporters  51 . 
     A display module  60  configured to display various kinds of operational information of the oven  1  and allow the user to input operational commands may be provided at an upper portion of a front surface of the front panel  11 . The display module  60  may be mounted on an electronic device chamber cover  15 . 
     Also, a manipulator  61  provided to additionally operate the oven  1  may be provided on the electronic device chamber cover  15 . 
     The oven  1  includes an electronic device chamber  70  configured to accommodate an electronic device configured to control operations of various components such as the display module  60  and the like. The electronic device chamber  70  is provided above the cooking chamber  20 . An insulating member  71  configured to insulate the electronic device chamber  70  and the cooking chamber  20  may be provided between the electronic device chamber  70  and the cooking chamber  20  so that transmission of the heat of the cooking chamber  20  to the electronic device chamber  70  is prevented. 
     Also, the insulating member  71  may be provided to cover an entire outside of the cooking chamber  20  in addition to the electronic device chamber  70  and the cooking chamber  20  so that the heat of the cooking chamber  20  is not transmitted outside the oven  1 . 
     A lamp assembly  100  may be provided above the cooking chamber  20 . The lamp assembly  100  may illuminate an inside of the cooking chamber  20  so that the user may check a state of the food inside the cooking chamber  20 . In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure, a pair of lamp assemblies  100  may be provided. However, since the number of the lamp assembly  100  is not limited, the number of the lamp assembly  100  may be more than or less than two. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the lamp assembly  100  may be disposed inside the housing  10 . At least a part of the lamp assembly  100  may be exposed on an upper surface of the cooking chamber  20 . 
     The lamp assembly  100  may be disposed adjacent to the heater  22 . In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the heater  22  may be disposed under the lamp assembly  100 . As the heater  22  releases high-temperature heat when the heater  22  is operated, a temperature of the lamp assembly  100  disposed adjacent to the heater  22  may be increased. Meanwhile, even when the lamp assembly  100  is not disposed adjacent to the heater  22  in another embodiment of the present disclosure, the inside of the cooking chamber  20  may maintain a high-temperature state to cook the food. At this time, the temperature of the lamp assembly  100  may also be gradually increased. 
     When the temperature of the lamp assembly  100  is increased to a predetermined temperature or higher, a lamp  160  may not be optimally operated. 
     That is, when the lamp  160  is overheated by heat of the cooking chamber  20 , a lifetime thereof may be decreased. Accordingly, a temperature of the lamp  160  need be decreased. 
     In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the lamp  160  may be doubly insulated to decrease a temperature thereof exposed to a high-temperature state. Specifically, the heat of the cooking chamber  20  may be primarily blocked by a first insulating case  110 . Heat of a first insulated space  101  discharged by the first insulating case  110  may be secondarily blocked by a second insulating case  120 . Accordingly, the lamp  160  disposed inside a second insulated space  102  may be doubly insulated by the first insulating case  110  and the second insulating case  120 . Due to the double insulation structure, overheating of the lamp  160  of the embodiment of the present disclosure may be prevented such that a lifetime of the lamp  160  may be increased. 
       FIG. 5  is a view illustrating a lamp assembly in the oven in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG. 6  is an exploded perspective view of the lamp assembly illustrated in  FIG. 5 .  FIG. 7  is an enlarged view illustrating a first insulating case and a first case in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure, and  FIG. 8  is an enlarged view illustrating a second insulating case, a second case, and a ring member.  FIG. 9  is a side view of the second case in the oven in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 5 to 9 , the lamp assembly  100  may include the first insulating case  110 , the second insulating case  120 , a ring member  130 , a first case  140 , a second case  150 , the lamp  160 , and a socket  170 . 
     The first insulating case  110  may include a bottom part  111  and a boss part  112 . The bottom part  111  may be formed in an approximately rectangular shape. The boss part  112  may be formed to protrude upward from one surface of the bottom part  111 . The boss part  112  may be formed along edges of the bottom part  111 , and edges of the boss part  112  may be spaced a predetermined distance from the edges of the bottom part  111 . That is, a circumference of the boss part  112  may be formed to be smaller than the border of the bottom part  111 . 
     A perimeter of an opening  20   a  (see  FIG. 4 ) formed in the cooking chamber  20  may be formed to be larger than a perimeter of the boss part  112  and may be formed to be smaller than a perimeter of the bottom part  111 . The boss part  112  may be inserted into the opening  20   a . Since the bottom part  111  blocks a gap between the opening  20   a  and the boss part  112 , a discharge of the heat of the cooking chamber  20  through the opening  20   a  may be prevented. 
     The boss part  112  may include a front surface  112   a , side surfaces  112   b  and  112   d , and a rear surface  112   c . A hooking groove  113  may be provided in each of the side surfaces  112   b  and  112   d  of the boss part  112 . The hooking groove  113  may be formed by being recessed in inward directions of the side surfaces  112   b  and  112   d . An elastic piece  141  of the first case  140  may be caught on the hooking groove  113 . 
     The first case  140  may include the elastic piece  141  so that the first insulating case  110  is easily coupled to and separated from the first case  140 . The elastic piece  141  may be formed by bending parts of both side surfaces of the first case  140  inward. The elastic piece  141  may have elasticity. Since the elastic piece  141  may be integrally formed with the first case  140 , the first case  140  may be made of a material having elasticity. For example, the first case  140  may include a metal material. 
     As the elastic piece  141  is caught on the hooking groove  113  of the first insulating case  110 , the first case  140  may be coupled to the first insulating case  110  without a separate coupling member. Also, the first insulating case  110  may be easily separated from the first case  140  using the elasticity of the elastic piece  141 . 
     The elastic piece  141  may be provided on both of the side surfaces of the first case  140  to correspond to the hooking groove  113 . Accordingly, locations and the number of elastic pieces  141  may be changed according to locations and the number of hooking grooves  113 . 
     The first case  140  may include a first outlet  143  so that heat of the first case  140  is discharged outwardly. The first outlet  143  may be provided in one surface of the first case  140 . The first outlet  143  may be provided by cutting a part of the first case  140  and bending the part outward. In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure, the first outlet  143  may be formed in a front surface of first case  140 . 
     The first case  140  may include a through hole  142 . The through hole  142  may be formed by cutting a part of an upper surface of the first case  140 . The through hole  142  may be provided in a circle shape. 
     The first case  140  may further include a location determination groove  142   a  formed to extend outward in a radial direction of the through hole  142 . The second insulating case  120  and the second case  150  may be inserted into the through hole  142 . Also, a location determination protrusion  151  of the second case  150  may be inserted into the location determination groove  142   a  of the first case  140 . The above will be described in detail below. 
     The second insulating case  120  may be provided in an approximately cylindrical shape. The second insulating case  120  may include a body  121  and a screw  122 . The screw  122  may be provided at an upper end of the body  121 . 
     A diameter of the body  121  may be provided to be larger than a diameter of the screw  122 . Also, the diameter of the body  121  may be provided to be larger than a diameter of the through hole  142 , and the diameter of the screw  122  may be provided to be smaller than the diameter of the through hole  142 , thereby the screw  122  may pass through the through hole  142  while the body  121  may not pass therethrough and is caught on the through hole  142 . 
     The second case  150  may be provided in a cylindrical shape with open upper and lower surfaces. The second case  150  may include the location determination protrusion  151 , a second outlet  152 , and a coupling protrusion  153 . 
     The location determination protrusion  151  may be formed to protrude outward in a radial direction of the second case  150 . The location determination protrusion  151  may be provided to correspond to the location determination groove  142   a  to be inserted thereinto. As the location determination protrusion  151  is inserted into the location determination groove  142   a , the second case  150  may not rotate against the first case  140 . Also, the second case  150  may be coupled to the first case  140  in a predetermined direction. That is, the second case  150  may be mounted at a specific location when the second case  150  is mounted on the first case  140 . 
     The second outlet  152  may be provided in a side surface of the second case  150 . The second outlet  152  may be provided by cutting a part of the side surface of the second case  150  and bending the part outward. Since the second outlet  152  is provided, heat of the second case  150  may be discharged through the second outlet  152 . In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure, a plurality of second outlets  152  may be provided and the second outlets  152  may be disposed to be separated along a circumferential direction of the second case  150 . 
     The second case  150  may include the coupling protrusion  153 . The coupling protrusion  153  may protrude inside the second case  150  from an inner circumferential surface of the second case  150 . A plurality of coupling protrusions  153  may be provided and the protrusions  153  may be disposed to be separated along the inner circumferential surface of the second case  150 . 
       FIG. 9  is a view illustrating a disposition structure of the coupling protrusion  153  in a side view of the second case. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 9 , the coupling protrusion  153  may be disposed in a spiral form along the inner circumferential surface of the second case  150 . The second case  150  may be screw-coupled to the second insulating case  120  through a disposition of the coupling protrusion  153 . That is, since the coupling protrusion  153  is screw-coupled to the screw  122 , the second case  150  may be coupled to the second insulating case  120 . Meanwhile, a user may couple the second insulating case  120  to the second case  150  or may separate the second insulating case  120  from the second case  150  by easily rotating the second insulating case  120  without a separate coupling member. 
     The lamp assembly  100  may include the ring member  130 . 
     At least a part of the second insulating case  120  may be disposed inside the through hole  142  of the first case  140 , and the remaining parts thereof may be disposed outside the through hole  142 . That is, the body  121  may be disposed inside the first case  140 , and the screw  122  may pass through the through hole  142  and be disposed outside the first case  140 . At this time, a gap may be formed between the through hole  142  and the screw  122 . The ring member  130  may be provided between the first case  140  and the second insulating case  120  so that the gap is minimized and the first case  140  is stably coupled to the second insulating case  120 . 
     In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure, the ring member  130  may include a first ring member  131 , a second ring member  132 , and a third ring member  133 . The first ring member  131 , the second ring member  132 , and the third ring member  133  may be sequentially stacked. Since a plurality of ring members  130  are provided, a relatively large gap may be reduced. However, the embodiment is not limited thereto and one ring member may also be provided. 
     The lamp assembly  100  may include the socket  170  and the lamp  160  mounted in the socket  170 . Power may be supplied to the lamp  160  via the socket  170 . The socket  170  may be inserted into and coupled to an upper portion of the second case  150 . Accordingly, the socket  170  may be coupled to the second case  150  without a coupling member or may be separated from the second case  150 . Likewise, the lamp  160  may be coupled to the socket  170  without a coupling member or may be separated from the socket  170 . That is, in accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, a user does not require a separate coupling member when assembling or disassembling a lamp assembly. That is, the user may easily replace the lamp. 
     In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure, the lamp  160  may include a halogen lamp. As a temperature inside the cooking chamber  20  is very high, a halogen lamp having high temperature resistance may be used in order to be operated at a high temperature. 
     The first insulating case  110  and the second insulating case  120  may be made to be transparent so that light emitted from the lamp  160  may be transmitted to the cooking chamber  20 . For example, the first insulating case  110  and the second insulating case  120  may be provided with a glass material. However, the material of the cases is not limited to the glass material, and the first insulating case  110  and the second insulating case  120  may be made not to be transparent as long as the first insulating case  110  and the second insulating case  120  are able to transmit light emitted from the lamp. 
     Hereinafter, a process of changing the lamp in the oven in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 10 , the socket  170  may be mounted inside the housing  10 . The second case  150  may be insertion-coupled to a lower portion of the socket  170 . A lower end of the second case  150  may pass through the through hole  142  of the first case  140  and be disposed inside the first case  140 . The socket  170 , the second case  150  and the first case  140  may be fixed inside a housing. 
     When a user want to change the lamp  160 , the user may separate the first insulating case  110  from the first case  140  without a separate coupling member. Also, the second insulating case  120  disposed inside the first insulating case  110  may be separated from the second case  150  by being rotated. Since the lamp  160  is disposed inside the second insulating case  120 , the lamp  160  may be easily replaced by performing the above process in reverse after the lamp  160  is replaced. 
       FIG. 11  is a view illustrating a state in which a door is opened in an oven in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 11 , lamp assemblies  100  may be disposed on both side surfaces of a cooking chamber  20 . That is, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the lamp assembly  100  may be disposed on an upper surface or the both of the side surfaces of the cooking chamber  20 , and although not shown in the drawings, the lamp assembly  100  may also be disposed on a lower surface of the cooking chamber  20 . 
     As is apparent from the above description, a lamp whose lifetime is increased and an oven including the lamp can be provided. 
     In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, a lamp having a double insulation structure and an oven including the lamp can be provided. 
     Although a few embodiments of the present disclosure have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the disclosure, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents.