Patent Description:
Details in the background section do not constitute the related art but are given only as background information concerning the subject matter of the present disclosure.

Cooking appliances, one of the home appliances, are installed in the kitchen and cook food as a user wants. The cooking appliances can fall into different categories, based on a heat source or a type, and the sort of a fuel.

The cooking appliances can be categorized into an open cooking appliance in which food is placed in an open space, and a sealed cooking appliance in which food is placed in a closed space, based on a way of cooking food. The sealed cooking appliance includes an oven, a microwave oven and the like, and the open cooking appliance includes a cooktop, a hob, and the like.

In the sealed cooking appliance, a space, in which a food item is placed, is shielded, and the shielded space is heated to cook the food item. The sealed cooking appliance is provided with a cooking space in which a food item is placed and which is shielded when the food item is cooked. In the cooking space, a food item is actually cooked. A heat source is disposed inside or outside the cooking space to heat the cooking space.

The sealed cooking appliance is provided with a door that selectively opens and closes the cooking space in a rotatable manner. The door is installed in a main body in a rotatable manner through a door hinge and rotates around a portion in which the door is coupled to the main body to selectively open and close the cooking space.

A heat source is disposed in an inner space of the cooking space opened and closed by the door, to heat the cooking space. The heat source includes a gas burner or an electric heater and the like.

When a food item is put into the cooking space of the cooking appliance and cooked in a high temperature atmosphere, a large amount of foreign substances such as fat and the like can be produced from the food item. In particular, when meat such as a chicken is cooked at a high temperature, a large amount of fat can be produced from the meat.

To reduce or prevent an escape of the foreign substances out of the cooking space, a packing member, i.e. a sealing member, can be provided for the cooking space.

However, when a high-temperature foreign substance contacts the packing member, the packing member can be corroded or damaged by the high-temperature foreign substance. The corrosion and damage of the packing member, caused by the high-temperature, can result in reduction in sealing performance of the packing member. Accordingly, the high-temperature foreign substance can escape from the cooking space, causing injuries to a user.

Under the circumstances, there is a growing need for a cooking appliance having an improved structure that helps to suppress direct contact between the packing member and the high- temperature foreign substance to ensure good sealing performance of the packing member provided for the cooking space. <CIT> discloses a sealing system for sealing a baking cell, in particular for the door of a pyrolytic cleaning oven. <CIT> discloses an oven appliance having a flame arrester. <CIT> discloses a seal for a cooking appliance that is characterized by a long service life and at the same time low production costs.

The object of the present disclosure is to provide a means to reduce or prevent high-temperature foreign substance-driven melting, deformation or damage of a packing member disposed in a cooking appliance. This object is achieved by the features of claim <NUM>.

According to the disclosure, the cooking appliance is provided with a bracket to reduce or prevent deposition of high-temperature foreign substances, flowing down to a lower portion of an inner glass, on a lower frame of the packing member.

The object of the present disclosure is to provide a cooking appliance in which the bracket has a plurality of bent portions and closely contacts a door such that the cooking appliance has a structure that suppresses contact between high-temperature foreign substances, flowing down to the inner glass of the door, and the lower frame of the packing member.

Aspects according to the present disclosure are not limited to the above ones, and other aspects and advantages that are not mentioned above can be clearly understood from the following description and can be more clearly understood from the embodiments set forth herein. Additionally, the aspects and advantages in the present disclosure can be realized via means and combinations thereof that are described in the appended claims.

The problems identified above are solved by the invention defined in the appended independent claim. Preferred aspects of the invention are defined in the appended dependent claims. In the following description, there is provided a cooking appliance which may include a main body provided with a cooking space, a door configured to open and close the cooking space, a packing member disposed at an entrance of the cooking space and configured to seal a gap between the main body and the door when the door is closed, and a bracket which is disposed on or above an upper side of a lower frame disposed in a lower end portion of the packing member and is configured to block a foreign substance from contacting the lower frame when the door is closed.

Since the bracket has a plurality of bent portions, the bracket may change a flow direction of a liquid-or-gel-phase foreign substance flowing down from an inner surface of the door and having high fluidity to suppress contact between the lower frame of the packing member and the foreign substance that continues to flow down to a lower end portion of the door through a gap at a portion where the bracket contacts the door because of gravity.

At least a portion of the plurality of bent portions of the bracket may closely contact the inner surface of the door. Accordingly, the gap of the contact portion between the bracket and the door may be removed or significantly narrowed, to suppress the foreign substance from passing through the gap of the contact portion between the bracket and the door.

According to the following description, there is further provided a cooking appliance which may include a main body provided therein with a cooking space, a door configured to open and close the cooking space, a packing member disposed at an entrance of the cooking space and configured to seal a gap that is created in a portion where the main body contacts the door with the door closed, and a bracket coupled to a lower portion of the door and to reduce or prevent contact between the packing member and a foreign substance moving to the lower portion of the door when the door is closed.

The bracket may include a base part coupled to the lower portion of the door, and an additional edge part connected to the base part, formed to protrude in a front-rear direction of the main body, and configured to cover an upper surface of the packing member. When the door is closed, one end of the additional edge part may be arranged to contact an inner surface of the door and the other end of the additional edge part is positioned further inward than the packing member to guide a high-temperature foreign substance, flowing down along the inner surface of the door, inside the cooking space not to contact the upper surface of the packing member.

The bracket may further include a first bent part connected to the base part and bent with respect to the base part, a second bent part bent and extended from the first bent part, and a third bent part bent and extended from the second bent part and having one end connected to the additional edge part.

The additional edge part may be disposed further upward than a lower end portion of the packing member when the door is closed.

The bracket may be integrally formed in the manner of bending one plate. The additional edge part may be provided with a folded portion, in which a plate is folded in two in a certain portion such that one plate contacts another plate, in an end portion thereof. In other words, the addition edge part may have two layers of the plate at the folded portion.

A portion of the folded portion may be disposed at the end of the additional edge part, and the end of the additional edge part may be rounded.

An angle formed by the second bent part and the third bent part of the bracket may be an acute angle. In a state in which the bracket is coupled to the door, at least a portion of one surface of the third bent part may closely contact an inner glass mounted onto the door.

The base part may include a first cell bent from the first bent part, and a pair of second cells bent at both sides of the first bent part. The base part may be longer than the first cell in a left-right direction of the door. The second cell may be provided with a first coupling hole for a coupling with the door, and the door may be provided with a second coupling hole for a coupling of the base part in a portion corresponding to the first coupling hole.

The first bent part may be provided with a third coupling hole for a coupling with the door. The third coupling hole may be formed in a direction across a direction in which the first coupling hole is formed. In other words, the direction of the third coupling hole may be not in parallel with the direction of the first coupling hole. The door may be provided with a fourth coupling hole for a coupling of the first bent part in a portion corresponding to the third coupling hole.

The door may include a locker disposed on both sides of the bracket, spaced from the bracket and configured to keep the door closed. The door may include a first frame onto which the locker is mounted, which has a space in a central portion thereof, and at which the bracket is disposed. The door may further include a second frame disposed in an edge portion of the first frame, and a third frame having a space in a central portion thereof, surrounding the first frame and the second frame and forming an exterior of the door. The door may further include a handle mounted onto the third frame. An outer glass may be disposed in the central portion of the third frame and disposed outside the door. An inner glass may be disposed in the central portion of the first frame and disposed inside the door.

The additional edge part may be disposed higher than a lower end of the inner glass with the door closed.

One surface of the base part may be disposed to face a lower end surface of the door. At least a portion of one surface of the first bent part may closely contact an inner surface of the door.

One surface of the second bent part may be disposed to face a lower end surface of the inner glass. At least a portion of one surface of the third bent part may closely contact one surface of the inner glass.

According to the following description, there is further provided a cooing appliance which may include a main body provided therein with a cooking space, a door configured to open and close the cooking space and including a first frame having a space in a central portion thereof, a second frame disposed in an edge portion of the first frame, a third frame having a space in a central portion thereof, surrounding the first frame and the second frame and forming an exterior of the door. An outer glass may be disposed in the central portion of the third frame and an inner glass may be disposed in the central portion of the first frame. A packing member may be disposed at an entrance of the cooking space and configured to seal a gap that is created in a portion where the main body contacts the door when the door is closed. A bracket may be coupled to a lower portion of the door and to reduce or prevent contact between the packing member and a foreign substance moving to the lower portion of the door when the door is closed.

The bracket may include a base part coupled to the lower portion of the door, and an additional edge part connected to the base part, formed to protrude in a front-rear direction of the main body and configured to cover an upper surface of the packing member. The bracket may further include a first bent part connected to the base part and bent with respect to the base part, a second bent part bent and extended from the first bent part and a third bent part bent and extended from the second bent part and having one end connected to the additional edge part.

The bracket may be integrally formed in a way that a plate is bent The additional edge part may be provided with a folded portion, in which a plate is folded in two in a certain portion such that one plate contacts another plate, in an end portion thereof, and the end of the additional edge part may be rounded. In other words, the additional edge part may have the folded portion in which the plate is folded in two layers.

The additional edge part may be further upward than a lower end portion of the packing member with the door closed. An angle formed by the second bent part and the third bent part of the bracket may be an acute angle. In a state in which the bracket is coupled to the door, at least a portion of one surface of the third bent part may closely contact an inner glass mounted onto the door.

One surface of the base part may be disposed to face a lower end surface of the door, at least a portion of one surface of the first bent part may closely contact an inner surface of the door. One surface of the second bent part may be disposed to face a lower end surface of the inner glass, and at least a portion of one surface of the third bent part may closely contact one surface of the inner glass.

Since the cooking appliance according to the following description may be provided with a bracket that is disposed in a portion, corresponding to a packing member in an up-down direction, in a lower portion of an inside of a door with the door closed and disposed further upward than a lower end portion of the packing member, the bracket effectively suppresses deposition of a high-temperature foreign substance, flowing down from an inner surface, i.e., an inner glass of the door, on a lower end portion of the packing member.

Accordingly, the packing member's melting, deformation or damage, caused by direct contact between the high-temperature foreign substance and the packing member may be effectively reduced or prevented.

The cooking appliance according to the disclosure may be provided with a folded portion at an additional edge part of the packing member, and the folded portion may be twice or greater thicker than any other parts of the bracket, to effectively reduce or prevent the additional edge part's deformation or damage caused by an external impact.

The cooking appliance according to the disclosure may be provided with the additional edge part of the packing member, the end of which is not thin and sharp but thick and rounded as described above, to effectively prevent injuries of a body part of the user even when the body part contacts the end of the additional edge part.

The cooking appliance according to the disclosure may be provided with the bracket having a plurality of bent portions. When the bracket is firmly coupled to the door, the bent portions may closely contact a surface of the door or be disposed in an approximately horizontal direction with respect to the cooking appliance, to effectively reduce or prevent a flow of a high-temperature foreign substance, flowing down along a surface of the inner glass, to the packing member along a gap of a portion in which the bracket contacts the door.

The above-described aspects, features and advantages are specifically described hereunder with reference to the accompanying drawings such that one having ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains can easily implement the technical spirit of the disclosure. In the disclosure, detailed descriptions of known technologies in relation to the disclosure are omitted if they are deemed to make the gist of the disclosure unnecessarily vague. Below, preferred embodiments according to the disclosure are specifically described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, identical reference numerals can denote identical or similar components.

The singular forms "a", "an" and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless explicitly indicated otherwise. It should be further understood that the terms "comprise" or "include" and the like, set forth herein, are not interpreted as necessarily including all the stated components or steps but can be interpreted as excluding some of the stated components or steps or can be interpreted as including additional components or steps.

The term "front" of a cooking appliance means a side of the cooking appliance having a door, and the term "rear" of the cooking appliance means a side opposite to the front of the cooking appliance. The term "vertical direction" means a up-down direction of the cooking appliance, and the term "horizontal direction" means a left-right direction of the cooking appliance. The term "inward" indicates a direction from the outside of the cooking appliance toward a center of the cooking space.

<FIG> is a perspective view showing a cooking appliance in one embodiment. <FIG> is a cross-sectional view showing the cooking appliance in one embodiment.

The cooking appliance in the embodiment may be provided with two cooking spaces <NUM>. Accordingly, the cooking appliance may be provided with two doors <NUM> configured to open and close each of the cooking spaces <NUM> respectively. In this case, the cooking appliance may be provided with two brackets <NUM> in the embodiment.

The two cooking spaces <NUM> and the two doors <NUM> may have the same or a similar structure except that the two cooking spaces <NUM> and the two doors <NUM> have different widths. Accordingly, the two brackets <NUM> in the embodiment may have the same or a similar structure except that the two brackets <NUM> have different length respectively to correspond to the widths of the cooking spaces <NUM>.

Hereunder, described are a structure of a cooking space <NUM> having a relatively small width, a structure of a door <NUM> having a relatively small width and corresponding to the cooking space <NUM>, and a bracket <NUM> having a relatively small length and mounted onto the door <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, a main body <NUM> may form an exterior of the cooking appliance in one embodiment. The main body <NUM> may be provided therein with the cooking space <NUM> and have a shape including an approximately rectangular cuboid shape, and may be made of a material having a predetermined strength to protect a plurality of components installed in an inner space thereof.

The main body <NUM> may be provided with a cooktop part <NUM> configured to heat food or a vessel containing food and cook the food, in an upper end portion thereof. The cook top part <NUM> may be provided with an upper plate <NUM> that forms an exterior of an upper surface of the cooking appliance and closes the upper end of the main body <NUM>.

The cooktop part <NUM> may be provided with one or more heating parts <NUM> for heating food to be cooked or a vessel containing food to be cooked, in a central portion thereof. The heating part <NUM> may be a heating device that uses gas as a fuel in one example. In another example, the heating part <NUM> may be an induction heater that uses electricity. The heating part <NUM> may have different structures depending on the sort of heat sources.

Additionally, the cooktop part <NUM> may be provided with the cooking space <NUM> serving as a space in which food is cooked, on a lower side thereof.

The cooking space <NUM> may be formed into a rectangular cuboid, a front surface of which is open. In a state in which the cooking space <NUM> is shielded, an inner space of the cooking space <NUM> may be heated to cook food.

The cooking space <NUM> may be provided with an upper heater <NUM> configured to heat the inner space of the cooking space <NUM> from above, on an upper side thereof, and may be further provided with a lower heater <NUM> configured to heat the inner space of the cooking space <NUM> from below, on a lower side thereof.

Additionally, the cooking space <NUM> may be further provided with a convection part <NUM> configured to heat the inner space of the cooking space <NUM> as a result of convection of hot air, on a rear side thereof. The convection part <NUM> may include a convection motor 36a, a convection fan 36b configured to rotate as a result of operation of the convection motor 36a and to allow of a flow of air in the inner space of the cooking space <NUM>, and a convection heater 36c provided in a way that surrounds the convection fan 36b and configured to heat flowing air.

The convection part <NUM> may forcibly allow of a flow of air in the inner space of the cooking space <NUM>. That is, the convection part <NUM> may heat and allow of the flow of the air in the inner space of the cooking space <NUM> to heat the inner space of the cooking space <NUM>, thereby uniformly heating food in the inner space of the cooking space <NUM>.

The cooking space <NUM> may be provided with a rack <NUM>, on both lateral walls thereof. A vessel containing food may be held on the rack <NUM>. To adjust a height of the vessel containing food, the rack <NUM> may have multiple steps as illustrated in <FIG>.

The door <NUM> configured to open and close the cooking space <NUM> may be rotatably disposed on a front surface of the cooking appliance. The door <NUM> may be a pull-down type door in which an upper end of the door rotates around a lower end of the door in an up-down direction to open and close the cooking space <NUM>.

The door <NUM> may be entirely formed into a cuboid having a predetermined thickness. The door <NUM> may be provided with a handle <NUM>, which is gripped by a user when the user rotates the door <NUM>, on a front surface thereof. The user may open and close the door <NUM> readily using the handle <NUM>.

A control panel <NUM> may be disposed on a front surface of the cooktop part <NUM> and/or an upper side of the door <NUM>. The control panel <NUM> may be provided with an input part <NUM> to which the user inputs a manipulation signal for operating devices disposed in the cooktop part <NUM> and the cooking space <NUM>, on a front surface thereof.

The input part <NUM> may be provided with a plurality of manipulation switches such that the user may input a manipulation signal directly. A manipulation switch of the input part <NUM> may be formed with a knob and the like, as illustrated in <FIG>.

For example, when a heating device using gas as a fuel is used as the heating part <NUM>, the input part <NUM> formed with a knob may be connected to a valve adjusting part <NUM>, and the user may adjust the valve adjusting part <NUM> as a result of manipulation such as a rotation of the knob and the like to adjust an opening degree of a gas valve.

Thus, the user may ignite or extinguish fire on the heating part <NUM> as result of the manipulation of the input part <NUM>, or may adjust a flow amount of gas introduced from the outside to adjust thermal power of the heating part <NUM>.

Further, the control panel <NUM> may be further provided with a display <NUM> configured to provide information on operation of the cooking appliance or information on cooking of a food item and the like, and the user may see various pieces of information on the cooking appliance through the display <NUM>.

An electronic component space <NUM> serving as a space in which electronic components are disposed may be formed between the cookotp part <NUM> and the cooking space <NUM>.

Upper portions of the control panel <NUM> and the door <NUM> may be disposed on a front side of the electronic component space <NUM>, and the cooking appliance may have a structure in which the front surface of the electronic component space <NUM> is shielded by the control panel <NUM> and the door <NUM>.

<FIG> is an enlarged view showing portion A in <FIG>. <FIG> is a perspective view showing a bracket <NUM> in one embodiment. <FIG> is a side view showing the bracket <NUM> in one embodiment.

The cooking appliance may include a packing member <NUM> and the bracket <NUM>.

The packing member <NUM> may be disposed at an entrance of the cooking space <NUM>, and may seal a gap that is created in a portion where the main body <NUM> contacts the door <NUM> when the door <NUM> is closed.

The packing member <NUM> may be mounted onto a wall of the cooking space <NUM> at the entrance of the cooking space <NUM>. When the cooking space <NUM> is seen from the front, the packing member <NUM> may be mounted onto the entrance of the cooking space <NUM> and may be entirely formed with a shape of a ring.

The packing member <NUM> may configured to be easily attached to and detached from the entrance of the cooking space <NUM>. To this end, a lower frame <NUM> forming a lower end portion of the packing member <NUM> may have a coupling projection <NUM> for coupling to a groove formed at the main body <NUM>, as illustrated in <FIG>. Likewise, a structure, which is the same as or similar to the coupling projection <NUM>, may be formed in an upper end portion of the packing member <NUM>.

Accordingly, when the door <NUM> is closed, a gap formed between the entrance of the cooking space <NUM> and the door <NUM> may be sealed such that foreign substances and hot air produced in the cooking space <NUM> are prevented from leaking outward through the gap or such that foreign substances are prevented from coming into the cooking space <NUM> through the gap from the outside.

Since the packing member <NUM> shields the gap between the entrance of the cooking space <NUM> and the door <NUM>, during a cooking process, high-temperature substances may be blocked from leaking out of the cooking appliance to protect the user, and foreign substances may be blocked from coming into the cooking space <NUM> through the gap from the outside to keep the inside of the cooking space <NUM> hygienic.

The packing member <NUM> may be made of a material that is elastic and has excellent thermal resistance to seal the gap. Materials having the above properties may include a silicone rubber, for example. Thus, the packing member <NUM> may be made of silicone rubber.

Silicone rubber does not melt even at a high temperature, and its physical properties do not change even at a high temperature. Accordingly, silicone rubber may be used for a sealing means for a device that operates in a high-temperature atmosphere.

However, while food is cooked in the cooking space <NUM> at a high temperature, the packing member <NUM> may be damaged when high-temperature foreign substances produced from the food affects the packing member <NUM> made of silicone rubber.

For example, when meat such as chicken and the like is heated and cooked in the cooking space <NUM>, fat may melt in the cooking space <NUM>, and the high-temperature melted fat may be splattered or scattered and attached to an inner glass <NUM> of the door <NUM>.

A liquid or a gel-phase foreign substance that has a high temperature and high fluidity, e.g., fat of meat, on the inner glass <NUM> of the door <NUM>, may flow down to a lower portion of the inner glass <NUM>.

The high-temperature foreign substance may flow down to the lower portion of the inner glass <NUM>, and may pile on the lower frame <NUM> of the packing member <NUM>, disposed in the lower portion of the inner glass <NUM>.

The high-temperature foreign substance gathered on the packing member <NUM> may chemically react with the packing member <NUM> in a high-temperature atmosphere. Thus, the packing member <NUM> may be melted, deformed or damaged. The packing member <NUM> made of silicone rubber, which exhibits a good heat resistance at a high temperature, may also be melted, deformed or damaged in a high-temperature atmosphere.

In the embodiment, the cooking appliance may be provided with the bracket <NUM> to prevent a foreign substance, having a high temperature and flowing down to the lower portion of the inner glass <NUM>, from piling on the lower frame <NUM> of the packing member <NUM>. Hereunder, the bracket <NUM> is specifically described.

The bracket <NUM> may protrude from the door <NUM> to the inside of the cooking space <NUM>. The bracket <NUM> may form a portion of a frame constituting the door <NUM> and onto which various components are mounted.

The bracket <NUM> may be coupled to a lower portion of the door <NUM>, and when the door <NUM> is closed, may prevent contact between a foreign substance flowing to the lower portion of the door <NUM> and the packing member <NUM>.

The bracket <NUM> may have a plurality of bent portions. The bracket <NUM> may be made of a material that has good elasticity and corrosion resistance and exerts relatively high restoring force at a high temperature.

The bracket <NUM> may be made of aluminum, aluminum alloys, copper, copper alloys and the like, for example. Additionally, the bracket <NUM> may have a coating layer, which ensures resistance against corrosion even at a high temperature, on a surface thereof.

The coating layer may be made of a material that is not deformed chemically or physically even when the coating layer is exposed at a high temperature or contacts a foreign substance in the cooking space <NUM>.

The bracket <NUM> may be integrally formed in a way that a plate is bent. In one example, a metallic plate may be cut to have an exterior of the bracket <NUM>, and bents parts may be formed on the cut plate using a bending device, to manufacture the bracket <NUM>. In another example, the bracket <NUM> may be manufactured using injection molding, casting, welding and the like.

The bracket <NUM> may include a base part <NUM> and an additional edge part <NUM>. The bracket <NUM> may further include a first bent part <NUM>, a second bent part <NUM> and a third bent part <NUM>.

The base part <NUM> may be coupled to the lower portion of the door <NUM>. The base part <NUM> may include a first cell <NUM> and a second cell <NUM>.

The first cell <NUM> may be formed in a way that the first cell <NUM> is bent from the bent part. When the bracket <NUM> is mounted onto the door <NUM>, the first cell <NUM> may be disposed approximately in a horizontal direction with respect to the cooking appliance.

A pair of second cells <NUM> may be provided at both sides of the first cell <NUM>. The pair of second cells <NUM> may be respectively bent from both end portions of the first bent part <NUM>. The pair of second cells <NUM> may be longer than the first cell <NUM> in a vertical direction. When the bracket <NUM> is mounted onto the door <NUM>, the second cell <NUM> may be disposed approximately in the horizontal direction with respect to the cooking appliance, like the first cell <NUM>. The second cell <NUM> may be provided with a first coupling hole 312a for coupling with the door <NUM>.

The additional edge part <NUM> may be connected to the base part <NUM>. The additional edge part <NUM> may, when the door <NUM> is closed, protrude in a front-rear direction of the main body <NUM>, and overlap the lower end portion of the packing member <NUM>, i.e., the lower frame <NUM> in an up-down direction of the main body <NUM>. In this case, the additional edge part <NUM> may cover an upper surface <NUM> of the packing member <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, when the bracket <NUM> is mounted onto the door <NUM>, the additional edge part <NUM> may be disposed approximately in the horizontal direction with respect to the cooking appliance.

When the additional edge part <NUM> is mounted onto the cooking appliance and the door <NUM> is closed, the additional edge part <NUM> may protrude more inward than the lower frame <NUM> of the packing member <NUM> in a front-rear direction of the cooking appliance. Additionally, the additional edge part <NUM> may be disposed further upward than the lower end portion of the packing member <NUM>, i.e., the lower frame <NUM>,when the door <NUM> is closed.

Referring to <FIG>, when the additional edge part <NUM> and the lower frame <NUM> of the packing member <NUM> are seen from the upper portion of the door <NUM> when the door <NUM> is closed, the lower frame <NUM> may be covered by the additional edge part <NUM>.

With the structure, even when a foreign substance, attached to the inner glass <NUM> and having a high temperature and high fluidity, flows down the inner glass <NUM>, the foreign substance may gather on the additional edge part <NUM> and may not flow down to the lower frame <NUM>.

The first bent part <NUM> may be connected to the base part <NUM> and bent with respect to the base part <NUM>. When the bracket <NUM> is mounted onto the door <NUM>, the first bent part <NUM> may be disposed approximately in the vertical direction.

The first bent part <NUM> may be provided with a third coupling hole <NUM> that is formed in a direction across a direction in which the first coupling hole 312a is formed, for coupling with the door <NUM>. In other words, the direction of the third coupling hole <NUM> is not in parallel with the direction of the first coupling hole 312a.

The second bent part <NUM> may be bent and extended from the first bent part <NUM>. When the bracket <NUM> is mounted onto the door <NUM>, the second bent part <NUM> may be disposed approximately in the horizontal direction.

The third bent part <NUM> may be bent and extended from the second bent part <NUM>, and one end of the third bent part <NUM> may connect to the additional edge part <NUM>. When the bracket <NUM> is mounted onto the door <NUM> and the door <NUM> is closed, the third bent part <NUM> may be disposed approximately in the vertical direction.

In the embodiment, the third bent part <NUM> may be disposed at a position corresponding to the packing member <NUM> when the door <NUM> is closed. In other words, the third bent part <NUM> may overlap the packing member <NUM> in the vertical direction. The bracket <NUM> may be disposed further upward than the lower end portion of the packing member <NUM>. Accordingly, the bracket <NUM> may effectively reduce or prevent deposition of high-temperature foreign substances, flowing from an inner surface of the door <NUM>, i.e., the inner glass <NUM>, upon the lower end portion of the packing member <NUM>.

Thus, the melting, deformation or damage of the packing member <NUM>, caused by a direct contact between the high-temperature foreign substances and the packing member <NUM>, may be reduced or prevented effectively.

The additional edge part <NUM> may have a folded portion <NUM>, in which a plate is folded in two in a certain portion such that one plate contacts another plate, in an end portion thereof. A part of the folded portion <NUM> may be disposed at an end 321a of the additional edge part <NUM>, and the end 321a may have a round shape.

For example, the folded portion <NUM> may be formed in a way that a plate is folded in two. In other words, the folded portion <NUM> of the additional edge part <NUM> may have two layers of the plate. Since the additional edge part has the folded portion <NUM>, the additional edge part <NUM> may have improved strength.

Due to the structure in which the additional edge part <NUM> protrudes from the door <NUM> in the front-rear direction of the cooking space <NUM>, the additional edge part <NUM> may often be affected by an external impact, and as a result, may be deformed or damaged.

To prevent this from happening, the additional edge part <NUM> may have the folded portion <NUM> that is twice or greater thicker than an unfolded portion of the additional edge part <NUM>. As a result, the additional edge part <NUM> may be effectively prevented from being twisted, deformed or damaged despite an external impact.

The folded portion <NUM> may have an end 321a that is rounded, and may be formed in a way that a plate is bent to form two layers in a proper portion of the additional edge part <NUM> and then an outside of the bent point is curved.

The additional edge part <NUM> may have the folded portion <NUM> in which the plate overlaps in two layers. The end 321a of the additional edge part <NUM>, a part of the folded portion <NUM>, may be rounded to protect the user.

The bracket <NUM> may be disposed in the lower portion of the inside of the door <NUM>. Accordingly, a user may often contact the bracket <NUM> when the user opens or closes the door <NUM> to cook food.

In the embodiment, since the end of the additional edge part <NUM> of the packing member <NUM> is not thin and sharp but thick and rounded, as described above, injuries of the user may be effectively prevented even when the user contacts the end of the additional edge part <NUM>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the bracket <NUM> may be formed to have an acute angle that is less than an angle formed by the second bent part <NUM> and the third bent part <NUM>, i.e., an angle (X).

The angle (X) may be <NUM>° to <NUM>°, preferably, <NUM>° to <NUM>°, for example.

With the structure, the bracket <NUM> may allow at least a portion of one surface of the third bent part <NUM> to closely contact the inner glass <NUM> mounted onto the door <NUM>.

When the bracket <NUM> is firmly coupled to the door <NUM> through a coupling tool, the second bent part <NUM> and the third bent part <NUM> may be elastically deformed, and the angle (X) may increase to about <NUM>° although the angle (X) originally has an acute angle.

Since the second bent part <NUM> and the third bent part <NUM> are elastically deformed, the third bent part <NUM> may close contact a surface of the inner glass <NUM> of the door <NUM> as a result of the firm coupling between the bracket <NUM> and the door <NUM>. In this case, the third bent part <NUM> may be disposed approximately in the vertical direction with respect to the cooking appliance.

With the above structure, the third bent part <NUM> may closely contact the surface of the inner glass <NUM> of the door <NUM>, a gap between the third bent part <NUM> and the inner glass <NUM> may disappear or may be narrowed. Thus, a high-temperature foreign substance, flowing down along the surface of the inner glass <NUM> of the door <NUM>, may be effectively prevented from going into the gap between the third bent part <NUM> and the inner glass <NUM>.

<FIG> is a cross-sectional view showing the cooking appliance when a door <NUM> is opened in one embodiment. <FIG> is an enlarged view showing portion B in <FIG>. <FIG> is an enlarged view showing a portion of a cross section of the cooking appliance in one embodiment.

Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, the bracket <NUM> may be firmly coupled respectively to lower portions of a lower end surface and an inner surface of the door <NUM> using a coupling tool such as a bolt at the base part <NUM> and the first bent part <NUM>, and when the door <NUM> is opened and rotated to lie horizontally with respect to the cooking appliance, the bracket <NUM> may also be rotated.

As illustrated in <FIG>, in the state in which the door <NUM> is open and lies horizontally with respect to the cooking appliance, the additional edge part <NUM> may be disposed vertically with respect to the cooking appliance.

In this case, the gravity-driven penetration of a foreign substance into the gap between the bracket <NUM> and the door <NUM> may not occur any longer, and when the cooking appliance stops operating and the door <NUM> is opened, high-temperature foreign substances gathered on one surface of the additional edge part <NUM> may cool.

The user may remove the foreign substances gathered and cooled on the additional edge part <NUM> and remove the foreign substances flowing down from the inner glass <NUM> and gathered on one surface of the additional edge part <NUM> to block the foreign substances from moving to the lower frame <NUM> of the packing member <NUM>.

<FIG> is an exploded perspective view for describing a door <NUM> and a bracket <NUM> of the cooking appliance in one embodiment. <FIG> is an enlarged view showing a portion of <FIG>.

The door <NUM> may include a first frame <NUM> and an inner glass <NUM>. The door <NUM> may further include a locker <NUM>, a second frame <NUM>, a handle <NUM>, and an outer glass <NUM>.

The locker <NUM> may be disposed on both sides of the bracket <NUM> and spaced from the bracket <NUM> and may keep the door <NUM> closed. The locker <NUM> may have a hook shape. The locker <NUM> may be hinge-coupled to the door <NUM> to make a predetermined- angle rotation with respect to the door <NUM>.

With the door <NUM> closed, the locker <NUM> may be held in a holding structure disposed at the main body <NUM>, and accordingly, keep the door <NUM> closed stably.

When the door <NUM> is open, the locker <NUM> may make a predetermined-angle rotation with respect to the door <NUM> to escape from the holding structure disposed at the main body <NUM>, and the user may open the door <NUM> using the handle <NUM>.

The locker <NUM> may be mounted onto the first frame <NUM>. The first frame <NUM> may have a space in a central portion thereof. The inner glass <NUM> may be disposed in the central portion of the first frame <NUM>. The bracket <NUM> may be disposed in a lower portion of the first frame <NUM>.

The first frame <NUM> may be formed in a way that plates having an approximate bar shape are coupled to one another, and may have various shapes to mount various types of devices and structures.

The second frame <NUM> may be disposed in an edge portion of the first frame <NUM>. The second frame <NUM> may connect the plates constituting the first frame <NUM> with each other, or couple the first frame <NUM> to a third frame <NUM>.

The third frame <NUM> may have a space in a central portion thereof, surround the first frame <NUM> and the second frame <NUM>, and form an exterior of the door <NUM>. As illustrated in <FIG>, the third frame <NUM> may occupy most of the exterior of the front of the cooking appliance, with the door <NUM> closed.

The handle <NUM> may be mounted onto a front surface of the third frame <NUM>, and the user may open and close the door <NUM> manually using the handle <NUM>.

The outer glass <NUM> may be disposed in the central portion of the third frame <NUM> and disposed outside the door <NUM>. As illustrated in <FIG>, the outer glass <NUM> may be a multilayered glass for thermal insulation.

The inner glass <NUM> may be disposed in the central portion of the first frame <NUM> and disposed inside the door <NUM>. When the door <NUM> is closed, the inner glass <NUM> may be disposed in an entrance portion of the cooking space <NUM>.

The outer glass <NUM> and the inner glass <NUM> may has a plate shape and be made of a transparent or translucent glass material.

When the glass is made of a transparent material, the user may see a food item being cooked in the cooking space <NUM> through the inner glass <NUM> and the outer glass <NUM>. A lighting device may be disposed at a proper position within the cooking space <NUM> such that the user sees a food item during cooking more conveniently.

The second cell <NUM> of the base part <NUM> may have a first coupling hole 312a. The door <NUM> may have a second coupling hole 312c for coupling with the base part <NUM> at a position corresponding to the first coupling hole 312a. A lower end surface of the first frame <NUM>, i.e., the lower end surface of the door <NUM> may be thin, and the second coupling hole 312c may be formed on the lower end surface of the first frame <NUM>, i.e., the lower end surface of the door <NUM>.

As a result of fastening of a first coupling tool 312b, such as a bolt, a screw nail and the like, to the first coupling hole 312a and the second coupling hole 312c, the base part <NUM> of the bracket <NUM> may be fastened to the door <NUM>.

The second bent part <NUM> may be provided with a third coupling hole <NUM> that is formed in a direction across a direction in which the first coupling hole 312a is formed. The door <NUM> may be provided with a fourth coupling hole 331a for coupling with the first bent part <NUM> at a position corresponding to the third coupling hole <NUM>. A lower portion of a lateral surface of the first frame <NUM> may be thin, and the fourth coupling hole 331a may be formed in the lower portion of the lateral surface of the first frame <NUM>.

As a result of fastening of a second coupling tool 331b, such as a bolt, a screw nail and the like, to the third coupling hole <NUM> and the fourth coupling hole 331a, the second bent part <NUM> of the bracket <NUM> may be fastened to the door <NUM>.

With the structure, the first coupling tool 312b and the second coupling tool 331b may be fastened to the bracket <NUM> and the door <NUM> in a way that the first coupling tool 312b crosses the second coupling tool 331b in a lengthwise direction. Accordingly, the bracket <NUM> may be firmly coupled to the door <NUM>.

Referring back to <FIG>, the bracket <NUM> may be mounted onto the first frame <NUM> forming the lower portion of the inside of the door <NUM> and the lower end surface of the door <NUM>, and may be entirely disposed in the lower portion of the door <NUM>.

Hereunder, a structure of the bracket <NUM> with the door <NUM> closed is described unless specified otherwise.

The additional edge part <NUM> may be disposed higher than a lower end of the inner glass <NUM> when the door <NUM> is closed. With the structure, a high-temperature foreign substance flowing down from the inner glass <NUM> may pile on one surface of the additional edge part <NUM>, i.e., an upper surface of the additional edge part <NUM> in <FIG> but may not flow to the lower end of the inner glass <NUM>.

Thus, the downward flow of the foreign substance to the lower end of the inner glass <NUM> and the fall of the foreign substance onto an indoor floor outside the cooking appliance, which would occur without the bracket <NUM> when the door <NUM> is opened, may be prevented.

One surface of the base part <NUM> may be disposed to face the lower end surface of the door <NUM>, i.e., the lower end surface of the first frame <NUM>, and at least a portion of one surface of the first bent part <NUM> may closely contact the inner surface of the door <NUM>, i.e., an inner surface of the first frame <NUM>.

With the door <NUM> closed, an upper surface of the base part <NUM> may face and contact the lower end surface of the door <NUM>. In this case, when the first coupling tool 312b is firmly fastened, the upper surface of the base part <NUM> may closely contact the lower end surface of the door <NUM>. Accordingly, a foreign substance may be effectively prevented from going into a gap between the base part <NUM> and the door <NUM>.

Additionally, the upper surface of the base part <NUM> may be disposed on a flat surface that is disposed in a direction approximately perpendicular to the gravitational direction. Thus, a gravity-driven flow of a foreign substance, going into the upper surface of the base part <NUM>, to the lower portion of the door <NUM> may be reduced or prevented.

When the second coupling tool 331b is firmly fastened, one surface of the first bent part <NUM> may closely contact one surface of the door <NUM>. Accordingly, a foreign substance may be effectively prevented from going into a gap between the first bent part <NUM> and the door <NUM>.

One surface of the second bent part <NUM> may be disposed to face the lower end surface of the inner glass <NUM>, and at least a portion of one surface of the third bent part <NUM> may closely contact one surface of the inner glass <NUM>.

An upper surface of the second bent part <NUM> may be disposed on a flat surface that is disposed in the direction approximately perpendicular to the gravitational direction. Thus, a gravity-driven flow of a foreign substance, going through the upper surface of the second bent part <NUM>, to the lower portion of the door <NUM> may be reduced or prevented.

As described above, the angle (X) between the second bent part <NUM> and the third bent part <NUM> may be an acute angle. Accordingly, the third bent part <NUM> may closely contact one surface of the inner glass <NUM> as a result elastic deformation when the bracket <NUM> is coupled to the door <NUM>.

Thus, the penetration of a foreign substance, flowing down along the surface of the inner glass <NUM>, into the gap between the third bent part <NUM> and the inner glass <NUM> may be effectively reduced or prevented.

In the embodiment, the bracket <NUM> may have a plurality of bent portions. When the bracket <NUM> is firmly coupled to the door <NUM>, the bent portions may closely contact the surface of the door <NUM> or be disposed approximately in the horizontal direction with respect to the cooking appliance. Thus, a flow of a high-temperature foreign substance, flowing down along the surface of the inner glass <NUM>, to the packing member <NUM> along the gap between the bracket <NUM> and the door <NUM> may be effectively reduced or prevented.

Claim 1:
A cooking appliance, comprising:
a main body (<NUM>) provided therein with a cooking space;
a door (<NUM>) configured to open and close the cooking space;
a packing member (<NUM>) disposed at an entrance of the cooking space, and configured to seal a gap that is created in a portion where the main body (<NUM>) contacts the door (<NUM>) in a closed state; and
a bracket (<NUM>) coupled to a lower portion of the door (<NUM>) for preventing contact between the packing member (<NUM>) and a foreign substance moving to the lower portion of the door (<NUM>) when the door (<NUM>) is closed,
the bracket (<NUM>), comprising:
a base part (<NUM>) coupled to the lower portion of the door (<NUM>); and
an additional edge part (<NUM>) connected to the base part (<NUM>), and having a shape extending in a front-rear direction of the main body (<NUM>) when the door (<NUM>) is closed,
characterized in that the addition edge part (<NUM>) is disposed in the horizontal direction with respect to the cooking appliance and configured to cover an upper surface of the packing member (<NUM>) when the door (<NUM>) is closed.