Patent Publication Number: US-9907122-B2

Title: Oven door for a microwave oven or a multifunctional oven with microwave heating function

Description:
The present invention relates to an oven door for a microwave oven or a multifunctional oven with microwave heating function. Further, the present invention relates to a microwave oven or a multifunctional oven with microwave heating function. 
     In a microwave oven or a multifunctional oven with a microwave heating function the oven door requires different features. The oven door has to be attached pivoting at a front frame of the oven by hinges. The hinges are often arranged inside the oven door and fixed by screws. One or two latches in an upper portion of the oven door are parts of a safety interlock system, wherein the other part of said safety interlock system is arranged in the top portion of the front frame. The latches are engageable with said parts in the front frame. Further, a wave choke system is required in order to prevent a microwave leakage. The components of the oven door usually require a lot of fixing elements. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide an oven door for a microwave oven or a multifunctional oven with microwave heating function, wherein the oven door is constructed by low complexity. 
     The object of the present invention is achieved by the oven door according to claim  1 . 
     The present invention relates to an oven door for a microwave oven or a multifunctional oven with microwave heating function, wherein
         the oven door comprises an outer glass panel,   the oven door comprises at least two door columns directly attached or attachable at an inner side of the outer glass panel,   the oven door comprises a door cover arranged or arrangeable at an inner side of the outer glass panel and attached or attachable at the door columns,   the oven door comprises a door choke system arranged or arrangeable between the door cover and the outer glass panel, and   the oven door comprises an inner glass panel arranged or arrangeable between the door cover and the door choke system.       

     The main idea of the present invention is the direct attachment of the door columns at the inner side of the outer glass panel on the one hand and the attachment of door cover at the door columns on the other hand, wherein the remaining components of the oven door are arranged between the outer glass panel and the door cover. This constellation allows a compact structure of the oven door and reduced the number of fixing elements. Thus, the oven door may be constructed by low complexity. 
     According to a special embodiment of the present invention the door columns are glued by an adhesive at the inner side of the outer glass panel. This simplifies the production of then oven door. 
     Alternatively, the door columns may be attached or attachable by screws at the inner side of the outer glass panel. 
     In particular, the door columns are made of plastics. This contributes to low costs. 
     For example, the door choke system includes at least one metal sheet with a circumferential channel. 
     Preferably, the door choke system includes at least one further metal sheet with a plurality of lamellae along the circumferential channel. 
     In particular, the door choke system includes a door grid in its central portion. The door grid allows shielding of microwave on the one hand and a transparent oven door on the other hand. 
     Further, the door choke system is fixed or fixable at the door columns. For example, the door choke system is fixed or fixable by screws at the door columns. 
     According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention the door cover includes a main wall extending in parallel to the inner glass panel and a circumferential wall perpendicular to said main wall. 
     In this case, the main wall of the door cover may include a recess in its centre, so the inner glass panel and the door cover form a window with an enclosing frame. 
     Moreover, at least one central glass panel may be arranged or arrangeable between the door columns on the one hand and between the outer glass panel and the door choke system on the other hand. 
     Preferably, the at least one central glass panel is aligned by retaining elements. 
     Further, the door column may include at least one latch element engageable with a safety interlock system of the oven. 
     For example, the door column and the latch element are formed as a single-piece part. 
     Alternatively, the latch element may be made of metal and inserted by moulding into the door column. 
     In particular, the door column includes a recess for receiving a hinge arm of a door hinge. 
     Preferably, the oven door comprises a door handle fixed or fixable at an outer side of the outer glass panel. 
     Further, the present invention relates to a microwave oven or a multifunctional oven with microwave heating function, wherein the oven comprises an oven door mentioned above. 
     Novel and inventive features of the present invention are set forth in the appended claims. 
    
    
     
       The present invention will be described in further detail with reference to the drawings, in which 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of an oven door for a microwave oven or a multifunctional oven with microwave heating function according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, 
         FIG. 2  illustrates an exploded perspective view of the oven door for the microwave oven or multifunctional oven with microwave heating function according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a detailed exploded perspective view of a door column and an outer glass panel of the oven door for the microwave oven or multifunctional oven with microwave heating function according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a further exploded perspective view of the oven door for the microwave oven or multifunctional oven with microwave heating function according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, 
         FIG. 5  illustrates another exploded perspective view of the oven door for the microwave oven or multifunctional oven with microwave heating function according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a further exploded perspective view of the oven door for the microwave oven or multifunctional oven with microwave heating function according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, and 
         FIG. 7  illustrates a sectional side view of the oven door arranged at the microwave oven or multifunctional oven with microwave heating function according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
       FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of an oven door  10  for a microwave oven or a multifunctional oven with microwave heating function according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     The oven door  10  comprises an outer glass panel  12 , a door handle  14 , a door cover  16 , an inner glass panel  18 , a door choke system  20 , a first central glass panel  22 , a second central glass panel  24  and two door columns  26 . 
     The door handle  14  is attached at an outer side of the outer glass panel  12 . The door cover  16  is attached at an inner side of the outer glass panel  12 . The door cover  16  includes a main wall  38  and circumferential side walls  40 , so that a space is formed between said door cover  16  and the outer glass panel  12 . The inner glass panel  18 , the door choke system  20 , the first central glass panel  22 , the second central glass panel  24  and the two door columns  26  are arranged inside said space. The main wall  38  of the door cover  16  includes a cutout, so that the door cover  16  and the inner glass panel  18  form a window with frame. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates an exploded perspective view of the oven door  10  for the microwave oven or multifunctional oven with microwave heating function according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 2  clarifies the arrangement and positions of the components of the oven door  10 . 
     The door handle  14  is attached via distance elements  28  at an outer side of the outer glass panel  12 . The door columns  26  are attached at the inner side of the outer glass panel  12 . The first central glass panel  22  and the second central glass panel  24  are arranged between the door columns  26 . Retaining elements  30  are provided for the alignment of the first central glass panel  22  and the second central glass panel  24 . The inner glass panel  18  is attached at an outer side of the door cover  16 . The door choke system  20  is arranged between the inner glass panel  18  and the second central glass panel  24 . 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a detailed exploded perspective view of the door column  26  and the outer glass panel  12  of the oven door  10  for the microwave oven or multifunctional oven with microwave heating function according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     The door column  26  is elongated and provided for a vertical arrangement at the inner side of the outer glass panel  12 . The two door columns  26  are arranged side-by-side and in parallel at the outer glass panel  12 . The first central glass panel  22  and the second central glass panel  24  are arranged between said two door columns  26 . 
     The door column  26  includes a latch element  32  at its upper end. The latch element  32  is an integrated part of the door column  26 . For example, the latch element  32  and door column  26  may form a single-piece part. In this case, the door column  26  with latch element  32  is preferably made of plastics. Further, the latch element  32  may be made of metal and inserted by moulding into the door column  26  made of plastics. The latch element  32  is engageable with a safety interlock system  42  of the oven. In a closed state of the oven door  10  the latch element  32  is engaged with the safety interlock system  42  arranged in an upper portion behind a front frame of the oven. 
     A recess  34  in the lower portion of the door column  26  is provided for receiving a hinge arm of a door hinge. The oven door  10  is fixable at the oven by inserting two hinge arms of the door hinge into the door columns  26  of the oven door  10 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a further exploded perspective view of the oven door  10  for the microwave oven or multifunctional oven with microwave heating function according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 4  shows a step during assembling the oven door  10 . 
     An adhesive  36  is applied on those areas of the inner side of the outer glass panel  12 , which are provided for the door columns  26 . The gluing of the door columns  26  onto the outer glass panel  12  simplifies the assembling of the oven door  10 . The first central glass panel  22  and the second central glass panel  24  are provided for the intermediate space between the door columns  26 . The retaining elements  30  allow the alignment of the first central glass panel  22  and the second central glass panel  24 . 
     The door cover  16  may be fixable at the door columns  26  by screws and/or by a snap-in mechanism. The inner glass panel  18  and the door choke system  20  are arranged between the door cover  16  and the second central glass panel  24 . 
       FIG. 5  illustrates another exploded perspective view of the oven door  10  for the microwave oven or multifunctional oven with microwave heating function according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 5  is similar to  FIG. 4 , wherein the door columns  26  are glued onto the outer glass panel  12 . 
       FIG. 6  illustrates a further exploded perspective view of the oven door  10  for the microwave oven or multifunctional oven with microwave heating function according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 6  is similar to  FIG. 5 , wherein the first central glass panel  22  and the second central glass panel  24  are already inserted between the door columns  26 . 
     In this example, the door choke system  20  is made of two metal sheets. An outer metal sheet includes a circumferential channel for a wave trap. An inner metal sheet includes a plurality of lamellae for the wave trap. 
     Screws  50  may be provided for fixing the door cover  16  at the door columns  26 . Further, the screws  50  may be provided for connecting the inner metal sheet of the door choke system  20  to the outer metal sheet of said door choke system  20 . Moreover, the screws  50  may be provided for connecting the door choke system  20  to the door columns  26 . 
       FIG. 7  illustrates a sectional side view of the oven door  10  arranged at the microwave oven or multifunctional oven with microwave heating function according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     The oven door  10  is arranged in front of a front frame  44  of the oven.  FIG. 7  clarifies the arrangement of the door column  26  inside the oven door  10 . The latch element  32  is an integrated part of the door column  26 . The latch element  32  is engaged with the safety interlock system  42  arranged behind the upper portion of the front frame  44 . 
     The door hinge  46  is arranged at the oven below the front frame  44 . The hinge arm  48  of the door hinge  46  is received by the recess  34  of the door column  26 . The oven door  10  is easily fixable at the oven by inserting two hinge arms  48  of the door hinge  46  into the door columns  26  of the oven door  10 . 
     Although an illustrative embodiment of the present invention has been described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to that precise embodiment, and that various other changes and modifications may be affected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. All such changes and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 
     LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 
     
         
           10  oven door 
           12  outer glass panel 
           14  door handle 
           16  door cover 
           18  inner glass panel 
           20  door choke system 
           22  first central glass panel 
           24  second central glass panel 
           26  door column 
           28  distance element 
           30  retaining element 
           32  latch element 
           34  recess 
           36  adhesive 
           38  main wall 
           40  circumferential wall 
           42  safety interlock system 
           44  front frame 
           46  door hinge 
           48  hinge arm 
           50  screw