Patent Publication Number: US-6337469-B1

Title: Cooker

Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY 
     This application makes reference to, incorporates the same herein, and claims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. §119 from applications for COOKER AND CONTROLLING METHOD FOR SELECTING THE COOK MENU THEREOF earlier filed in the Korean Industrial Property Office on the 10th of September 1999 and there duly assigned Ser. No. 38649/1999, for COOKER earlier filed in the Korean Industrial Property Office on the 5th of August 2000 and there duly assigned Serial No. 45470/2000, and for COOKER earlier filed in the Korean Industrial Property Office on the 25th of August 2000 and there duly assigned Ser. No. 49443/2000. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates in general to cookers, and more particularly to a cooker with a support plate improved in structure and function. 
     DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART 
     For the sake of convenience, the present invention will be described with reference to a microwave oven as an exemplary cooker. 
     Generally, a microwave oven serves to cook food with a magnetron generating microwaves. The time and intensity of microwaves generated from the magnetron, i.e., cooking time and cooking temperature, vary depending upon the kind of food to be cooked. According to selection methods of the cooking time and temperature, the cooking modes of the microwave oven are divided into an automatic cooking mode and a manual cooking mode. 
     Under the manual cooking mode, a user can optionally select desired cooking time and temperature. If the cooking time and temperature are selected by the user, a controller in the oven drives the magnetron to cook food as selected. 
     In contrast, under the automatic cooking mode, a user can select a desired menu making use of a menu display provided in the front of the microwave oven, according to recipes for a plurality of menus stored in a memory in conjunction with cooking time and temperature. If the user selects a menu, a controller reads out the recipe for the selected menu from the memory and drives the magnetron to cook food according to the read out recipe. 
     Referring to FIG. 9, a control panel for selecting a menu in a conventional microwave oven which employs an automatic cooking mode is illustrated. As illustrated, the conventional control panel has a support plate  101  installed on the front of a component chamber (not shown) formed in the microwave oven. In the upper part of the support plate  101  are provided four menu displays  110  in their respective boxes. Below the menu displays  110  is installed a rotary knob for selecting a desired menu. In the lower part of the support plate  101  are respectively provided a menu selection button  121  on the left and a cooking start button  122  on the right. 
     Each menu display  110  is comprised of a plurality of menu bars  111  on the right, indicating “Popcorn,” “Warming,” “Thawing,” etc., and menu group bars  113  A, B, C and D in the center, each indicating a group of menus. On the left of the menu bar  111  are disposed light-emitting diodes(LEDs)  115  corresponding to the respective menus whereas a light-emitting diode(LCD)  117  corresponding to each menu group bar  113  is disposed on the left of the menu group bar  113 . These LEDs  115  and  117  are fixed to a Printed Circuit Board(PCB) (not shown) installed between the support plate  101  and the component chamber (not shown), and are exposed to the outside. 
     Light is emitted from the LED  117  for the menu group bar  113  when the rotary knob  120  is positioned at a rotation position corresponding to each of the menu displays  110 . The LEDs  115  for the menus are lighted when the rotary knob  120  is positioned at a rotation position corresponding to each of the menu bars  111 . The LEDs  115  and  117  are lighted by a driver (not shown) for driving these LEDs, and the driver is operated by the menu selection button  121  and the rotary knob  120 . 
     According to the conventional microwave oven, a menu selection through the support plate is performed in the following manner. 
     If a user presses the menu selection button  121 , the LED driver drives the LEDs  115  and  117  of one menu display  110  according to the rotation position of the rotary knob  120 . The user can select his or her desired menu group and menu by rotating the rotary knob  120 . 
     The LEDs corresponding to the desired menu group and menu are lighted, and then the user selects the desired menu by operating a switch for menu selection (not shown). The menu selection switch is configured to cooperate with the rotation of the rotary knob  120 . 
     Then, if the user presses the cooking start button  122 , a controller (not shown) reads out a recipe for the menu selected by the user from the memory and drives the magnetron. 
     However, because a support plate has a limited area in the conventional microwave oven, only a limited number of menus can be displayed. 
     As the menu group bars or menu bars increase in number, this makes it inconvenient to select a menu. In addition, since the number of LEDs increases, the circuitry becomes complicated. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention has been made keeping in mind the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a cooker with a support plate improved in structure and function to display a variety of menus and cooking conditions. 
     The above and other objects of the present invention may be achieved by the provision of a cooker comprising a main body, a control panel and a heat source for cooking which is controlled by the control panel, the control panel comprising a support plate installed on a surface portion of the main body, a manipulation unit movably installed on the support plate, a memory storing a plurality of menu groups, a plurality of menus belonging to each menu group and a cooking condition for each menu, a device installed on the support plate for displaying the menu groups according to movement of the manipulation unit, a further device installed on the support plate for displaying the menus belonging to each menu group according to movement of the manipulation unit, a selection unit for selecting a desired menu group and a desired menu from the menu groups and the menu displayed on the menu group displaying device and the menu displaying device, respectively, and a controller for controlling the heat source to perform the cooking condition of the selected menu according to selection of the selection unit. 
     Preferably, the manipulation unit comprises a rotary knob being rotatable. 
     Preferably, the selection unit comprises a selection switch operating by pushing of the rotary knob. 
     Effectively, the menu group displaying device includes an annular display for displaying the menu groups in sequence around the rotary knob. 
     Preferably, the annular display includes a plurality of icons for displaying the menu groups. 
     Effectively, the cooker further comprises a plurality of LCDs corresponding to the respective icons of the annular display. 
     Effectively, the menu displaying device displays the menus on the annular display according to rotation of the rotary knob in sequence. 
     Effectively, the menu displaying device comprises a second display for displaying the menus according to rotation of the rotary knob in sequence. 
     Preferably, the second display displays the respective menus one by one and in sequence. 
     Preferably, the second display highlights the menu corresponding to the rotation position of the rotary knob among the plurality of menus to be displayed on the second display. 
     Preferably, the menu group displaying device includes a display for displaying the menu groups in sequence according to rotation of the rotary knob. 
     Preferably, the menu displaying device displays the menus under the menu group selected through the selection unit on the display. 
     Preferably, the display displays the respective menu groups one by one and in sequence. 
     Preferably, the display highlights the menu group corresponding to the rotation position of the rotary knob among the plurality of menu groups to be displayed on the display. 
     Preferably, the cooker comprises an indicator for indicating rotation positions of the rotary knob. 
     Preferably, the indicator is provided on the rotary knob. 
     Preferably, the indicator comprises a plurality of LEDs provided around the rotary knob, corresponding to rotation positions of the rotary knob. 
     Preferably, the plurality of LEDs are lighted sequentially during cooking. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A more complete appreciation of the invention, and many of the attendant advantages thereof, will be readily apparent as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like reference symbols indicate the same or similar components, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a microwave oven according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a control panel of the microwave oven according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a control panel of the microwave oven according to a second embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a control panel of the microwave oven according to a third embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIGS. 5 a ,  5   b  and  5   c  are schematic views of the control panel of FIG. 4 which show sequentially menu groups, menus and cooking conditions; 
     FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a control panel of the microwave oven according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a controlling process according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing a method of controlling a menu selection process according to the present invention; and 
     FIG. 9 is a front elevational view of a control panel of a conventional microwave oven. 
    
    
     MODES CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
     A microwave oven according to the present invention is, as illustrated in FIG. 1, comprised of a main body  1  partitioned into a cooking chamber  3  and a component chamber (not shown), a door  7  for opening and closing the cooking chamber  3 , and a control panel  10  mounted in front of the component chamber. A magnetron, a high-voltage transformer and a high-voltage capacitor, all of them being not shown herein, are positioned in the component chamber. 
     The control panel  10  according to the present invention is, as depicted in FIGS. 2 and 3, comprised of a support plate  11  in front of the component chamber, and a printed circuit board(PCB)  20  at the rear of the support plate  11 . 
     At the center of the support plate  11 , a manipulation unit is provided. The manipulation unit is movably or rotatably installed so as to look for a menu group, a menu belonging to the menu group and a cooking condition therefor. In the support plate  11 , a device  35  for displaying the plurality of menu groups and a device  12  for displaying the plurality of menus belonging to the menu groups are also provided. The support plate  11  is provided with a memory (not shown) for storing a plurality of menu groups, a plurality of menus belonging to each menu group, and a plurality of cooking conditions for the plurality of menus. 
     According to the first and second embodiments of the present invention, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, a rotary knob  30  serves as the manipulation unit for looking for a menu group, the menu belonging to the menu group and the cooking condition for the menu. Preferably, the rotary knob  30  additionally includes a selection function for selecting the menu group, the menu belonging to the menu group and the cooking condition therefor. The selection function is performed by a selection switch (not shown) which operates with pushing of the rotary knob  30  for each menu group, each menu belonging to the menu group and each cooking condition for the menu. Desirably, the rotary knob  30  has the functions of initiating a selection of a desired cooking menu and starting cooking. On the rotary knob  30  is provided a marker  31  for pointing out a rotation position of the rotary knob  30 . With or instead of the marker  31 , an LED display  33  having a plurality of sections may be provided around the rotary knob  30 , for indicating the rotation position of the rotary knob  30 . 
     The device  35  for displaying the menu group is comprised of an annular display disposed around the LED display  33  for displaying a plurality of menu groups continuously. The annular display  35  is comprised of a plurality of icons indicating the menu groups. The device  12  for indicating menus belonging to the menu groups is comprised of a rectangular display provided in the upper part of the support plate  11  for displaying a plurality of menus belonging to a menu group which is displayed through the icon corresponding to the rotation position of therotaryknob  30 . The display  12  can display a plurality of cooking conditions of a selected menu. 
     Preferably, in the lower part of the support plate  11  is provided a button  39  for canceling a selection of a menu group, a menu and a cooking condition thereof selected by the rotary knob  30 . A button  37  for multi-purpose use maybe further provided in the lower part of the support plate  11 . The multi-purpose button  37  may be used for selecting a desired menu, initiating a selection of a desired menu or initiating cooking of the selected menu, in lieu of those functions of the rotary knob  30 . 
     In the PCB  20  is provided an LCD portion  40  which is comprised of a plurality of LCD sections denoted as  40   a ,  40   b  . . . to correspond to the respective icons of the annular display  35  provided at the support plate  11 . Referring to FIG. 3, the respective menu groups displayed in the LCD sections  40   a ,  40   b , . . . of the LCD portion  40  are indicated in the annular display  35 . 
     In the PCB  20  is also provided an LED indicator  43  having a plurality of LEDs  43   a ,  43   b , . . . for indicating rotation positions of the rotary knob  30  in response to each icon correspondingly positioned relative to the LED display  33  in the support plate  11 . The respective LEDs  43   a ,  43   b , . . . can emit light by an LED driver  45  (see FIG. 7) operating in accordance with the rotary knob  30  being operated to initiate a selection of a desired menu to be cooked. The respective LEDs  43   a ,  43   b , . . . are arranged to respectively correspond to the LCD sections  40   a ,  40   b , . . . of the LCD portion  40 . They selectively emit light when the rotary knob  30  is positioned at the LCD sections  40   a ,  40   b ,  40   c , etc., so that a user is expressly informed of his or her selection of a menu group. Only the LCD section  40   a  located at the point where the rotary knob  30  is positioned may be lighted when the rotary knob  30  is positioned at the section  40   a  of the LCD  40 . In addition to or instead of lighting the LCD section  40   a , the corresponding LED  43   a  provided inside of the LCD section  40   a  may emit light. 
     In the PCB  20  is installed an LCD  60  located at the corresponding position of the rectangular display  12  installed in the support plate  11 . The LCD  60  may serve as a timer for indicating a cooking time in a normal situation. If a signal for selecting a menu group through the rotary knob  30  or the multi-purpose button  37  is inputted, a user can easily find out his or her desired menu to be cooked from the LCD  60  in which menus belonging to the menu group and cooking conditions thereof are displayed in sequence. The menu group corresponding to an icon of the annular display  34  may be further displayed in the LCD  60 , from which the user can know his or her selected menu group. 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a control panel of the microwave oven according to a third embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 5 a ,  5   b  and  5   c  are schematic views of the LCD portion and the LED indicator of FIG. 4 which show sequentially menu groups, menus and cooking conditions. The description of same parts or elements as those described above will be omitted hereinafter. 
     The rotary knob  30  for seeking and selecting a menu group, a menu belonging to the menu group and a cooking condition thereof is rotatably installed in the center of the support plate  11 . In addition, it is preferable that the rotary knob  30  be capable of initiating selection of a desired menu and initiating cooking. At the circumference of the rotary knob  30  are provided an LED display  33  and an annular display  35  for indicating options of cooking. 
     In the PCB  20  are installed an annular LCD portion  40  located at the position corresponding to the annular display  35 . The LCD portion  40  is comprised of a plurality of LCD sections  40   a ,  40   b ,  40   c , . . . , each for indicating a menu group, a menu belonging to the menu group and a cooking condition thereof in sequence. Each LCD section of the LCD portion  40  is driven by an LCD driver  42  (see FIG.  7 ). 
     In the PCB  20  is installed an LED indicator  43  having a plurality of LEDs  43   a ,  43   b , . . . located inside of the LCD portion  40 , and being correspondingly positioned at the LCD sections corresponding to the LED display  33  in the support plate  11 . The LED indicator  43  is driven by an LED driver  45  (see FIG.  7 ), and is selectively lighted when the rotary knob  30  is positioned at one LCD section of the LCD portion  40 . For example, as illustrated in FIGS. 5 a ,  5   b  and  5   c , when the rotary knob  30  is positioned at the LCD section  40   b  indicating confectionery among the menu groups, the corresponding LED  43   b  inside the LCD section  40   b  is lighted. Where a menu group is selected by the rotary knob  30 , a plurality of menus belonging to the menu group is indicated on the respective LCD sections  40   a ,  40   b , etc. Where a menu is selected, cooking conditions of the respective menus are sequentially displayed in each LCD section. 
     FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a control panel of a microwave oven according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. As shown therein, the control panel  10  includes a support plate  11  in front of a component chamber (not shown) and a PCB  20  at the rear of the support plate  11 . 
     At the center of the support plate  11  is provided a rotary knob  30  for looking for and selecting a menu group, a menu and a cooking condition. In the upper part of the support plate is provided a rectangular display  12  for displaying a plurality of menu groups, a plurality of menus belonging to the menu groups and cooking conditions for the menus in sequence. 
     On the circumference of the rotary knob  30  is provided an LED display  33  having a plurality of sections. In the lower part of the support plate is provided a button  39  for canceling selection of the cooking option selected by the rotary knob  30 . A button  37  for multi-purpose use maybe further provided in the support plate. 
     In the PCB  20  is installed a plurality of LEDs  43   a ,  43   b , . . . , corresponding to the respective sections of the LED display  33  of the support plate  11 . The respective LEDs  43   a ,  43   b , . . . are lighted by the LED driver  45  (see FIG. 4) operating according to initiation of a menu selection of the rotary knob  30 . In the PCB  20  is installed an LCD  60  at the position corresponding to the rectangular display  12  installed in the support plate  11 . The rotary knob  30  and the display  12  depicted in FIG. 6 are of the same as those described in reference to the other embodiments. Thus, the description thereof will be omitted. 
     A process for controlling operation of the control panel of the microwave ovens according to the above-described embodiments is shown in FIG.  7 . 
     The controller  50  according to the present invention is, as illustrated, comprised of a determiner  51  for determining a rotation position of the rotary knob  30  based on a rotation angle of the rotary knob  30 , a determiner  55  for determining a menu group, a menu and a cooking condition as a final cooking option based on a selection signal from the cooking option selection switch (not shown), and a driving signal generator  53  for generating signals for driving a magnetron driver  17 , the LED driver  45  and the LCD driver  42 . 
     The process of controlling a selection of a desired cooking option through the controller  50  is described in reference to FIG.  2  and FIG.  8 . 
     A user selects a menu to be cooked by manipulating the rotary knob  30  (S 10 ). For example, a menu can be selected by pushing the rotary knob  30  for a determined period of time or rotating it toward a predetermined angle. Alternatively, the menu can be selected by pushing a multi-purpose button  37 . 
     A signal to initiate a selection of a menu is inputted into the controller  50 , and the controller  50  generates a signal for driving the LCD driver  42  so that a plurality of menu groups is displayed in the annular display  35  according to the menu selection initiating signal inputted (S 20 ). 
     When the menu groups are displayed on the annular display  40 , the user rotates the rotary knob  30  to point out his or her desired menu group. While the rotary knob  30  is being rotated by the user, the rotation position determiner  51  of the controller  50  determines the degree of rotation of the rotary knob  30 . If the degree of rotation of the rotary knob  30  is determined, the controller  50  controls the LED driver  45  to generate a signal to emit light from the LED corresponding to the rotation position (S 30 ). 
     The user selects a desired menu group indicated by a section of the LED display  33  corresponding to the lighted LED  43  by pushing the rotary knob  30  (S 40 ). 
     When the menu group is selected by the user, a plurality of menus belonging to the selected menu group is displayed on the rectangular display  12  through the LCD  60  (S 50 ). 
     The user can move to another menu by rotating the rotary knob  30  so as to select the other menu from the indicated menus (S 60 ). If a desired menu group and a desired menu are selected, the user selects a desired cooking condition therefor by rotating the rotary knob  30  in the same manner as in selection of the menu group and the menu (S 70  and S 80 ). 
     When the user selects the desired menu group, menu and cooking condition therefor, the cooking option determiner  55  of the controller  50  finally determines the final cooking option in combination with the selected menu group, menu and cooking condition therefor (S 90 ). 
     When the final cooking option is determined, the user operates the rotary knob  30  to generate a signal to initiate the cooking (S 100 ). Alternatively, the cooking initiating signal can be generated by the separate button  37  which can serve as a cooking start button. 
     When the cooking start signal is inputted into the controller  50 , the controller  50  controls the magnetron driver  17  to generate a signal to drive the magnetron so that food is cooked according to the final cooking option (S 110 ). 
     While the food is being cooked by operation of the magnetron, the controller  50  controls the LED driver  45  to light the plurality of LEDs  43   a ,  43   b , . . . consecutively so as to indicate that the cooking is taking place (S  120 ). 
     If the user makes a wrong selection on the menu group, the menu or the cooking condition, the selected cooking option can be cancelled by pushing the cancellation button  39  in any of steps S 10  through S 120 . 
     According to the above-described embodiments of the present invention, LEDs  43   a ,  43   b , . . . are provided on the circumference of the rotary knob  30  to indicate selection of a menu group, a menu and a cooking therefor. However, in addition to or instead of the LEDs  43 , the respective sections  40   a ,  40   b ,  40   c , etc. of the LCD portion  40  can be lighted. 
     The above-described first embodiment can be modified such that the menu groups, the menus belonging to each menu group, and cooking conditions therefor can be displayed in sequence on a plurality of icon sections of the rectangular display. 
     The embodiments of the present invention have been described in reference to a microwave oven only as an example. The present invention can be applied to bread makers, gas oven ranges and other cookers which employ the mode of automatic cooking. 
     In the above-described embodiments, there has been described a rotary knob which is rotatable. However, a menu group, a menu and a cooking condition therefor can be looked for and selected by using a slidable operator slidably moved or a joystick, etc. 
     As described above, the present invention makes it possible to increase the efficiency of using the space of the support plate and to indicate the menus and cooking conditions therefor in a simple structure on the support plate. 
     Although the present invention has been described in connection with preferred embodiments thereof, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that additions, modifications, substitutions and deletions not specifically described may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.