United States Patent
`
`[191
`
`{1I] Patent Number:
`
`5,117,030
`
`Lee
`
`{45] Date of Patent: May 26, 1992
`
`llllllllllllllllllllllIIIIIIIIIIIII|||||lllllllllllllllllllllIllIllllllll
`USOO5ll7080A
`
`[54] MICROWAVE OVEN wrrn A Fuivcrion
`FOR DRYING TABLEWARE AND A DRIVE
`CONTROL METHOD THEREOF
`
`[56]
`
`[75]
`
`Inventor: Kwau H. Lee, Kyungsangnam-Do,
`Rep. of Korea
`
`[73] Assignee: Goldstar Co., Ltd., Seoul, Rep. of
`Korea
`
`[21] App1.No.: 575,566
`
`{Z2} Filed:
`
`Aug..3l, 1990
`
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`[30]
`Aug. 31. 1989 [KR]
`Rep. of Korea
`
`12598,/1989
`
`Int. Cl.5 ............................................. .. H05B 6/80
`{5}}
`[52] U.S. C1.
`219/10.55 R; 219/10.55 B;
`219/10.55 E; 219/10.55 M; 99/1310. 14
`[53] Field of Search
`219/10.55 E. 10.55 F.
`2I9XlO.55 R, 10.55 D. 10.55 B, 10.55 M; 34/I;
`99/1316. 14, 451
`
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`3.451.401 M959 Levinson .................... .. 219/10.5511
`3.494.722
`2./I970 Gray ......... ..
`. 219/10.55 R
`3.6‘I‘O.?46
`6/’i9TZ Ciehrtnarin ..
`_. 2l9Kl0.55 R
`
`4.4‘I1.19S
`9/1984 Ishii et al.
`219210.55 E
`
`Primary Exam:'ner—Phi]ip H. Leung
`
`ABSTRACT
`{:71
`A microwave oven with a function for drying table-
`ware dryer. The microwave oven includes a heater and
`a magnetron controlled by 3 microcomputer, a table-
`ware basket holder detachably equipped with a table»
`ware basket, a water bucket and a plate. A tableware
`basket holder sensing section is mounted for sensing the
`tableware basket holder when it is inserted in a cavity of
`the microwave oven. The tableware drying function is
`perforrried by driving the heater under the Control of
`the microcomputer when a tableware basket holder
`sensing signal is generated from the tableware basket
`holder sensing section.
`
`2 Claims, 3 Drawing Sheets
`
`
`
`INITIAL MAIN
`
`
`
`
`*--'KETANAIJSISmurm: I
`
`DISPLAY ROUTINE
`BUZZER CONTHJI.
`
`ROUTINE
`
`
`
`
`
`EXECUTION RJITINE I
`
`
`
`
`
`SET HEATER
`DRIVING SECTION
`
`OTHER DRIVING
`ROUTINE
`
`
`
`RESET HAGMETRJN
`DRIVING SECTION
`
`IIB-LE
`RESET TURNT
`DRIVING SECTI
`ON
`
`
`
`TABLEWAE BAGIET
`HOLDER SENSING
`S I GNAL?
`
`PREDETERMINED
`TIME ELA PSE?
`
`
`
`
`COUNT HEATER
`DRIVINC. TIME
`
`R ESET HEATER
`DRIVIIRG SECTION
`
`
`
`
`1uf6
`
`PENN EX. 2200
`
`CFAD V. UPENN
`lPR20l5-01836
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`May 26, 1992
`
`Sheet 1 pr 3
`
`5,117,080
`
`F/67,4
`
`F/GJB
`
`CONVENTIONAL ART
`
`CONVENTIONAL ART
`
`25
`
`2 of 6
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`PENN Ex. 2200
`CFAD V. UPENN
`lPR2015-01836
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`May 26, 1992
`
`Sheet 2 of 3
`
`5,117,080
`
`TABLEWARE
`BA KETHOLDER
`SE .. arm;
`
`U
`B ZZE
`RT
`N
`co
`
`CONTROL F
`
`SEC-HON
`
`SECTION
`
`mcno -
`compunza
`
`INPUT
`_xE~r
`SECTION
`
`OSC ILLATION
`SECTION
`
`DOOR
`SENSING
`
`MICRO-
`CDMPUTER
`
`
`
`"P2
`
`
`
`RY2!
`
`2
`
`3 Ilffi
`
`PENN EX. 2200
`CFAD V. UPENN
`lPR20l5-01836
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`May 26, 1992
`
`Sheet 3 of 3
`
`5,117,080
`
`F/G.5
`
`INITIAL MAIN
`
`ORERATINET
`
`1"“
`
`KEYAHAUSIS ROUTINE
`
`| DISPLAY ROUTINE |
`
`BUZZER CONTROL I
`
`ROUTINE
`
`I EXECUTION fi'£1U|'lNE
`N
`
`°
`
`
`
`SET HEATER
`DRIVING SECTION
`
`OTHER DRIVING I
`
`ROUTINE
`
`TABLEWARE BASKET
`HOLDER SENSING
`SIGNAL?
`
`RESET MAGNETRON
`DRIVING SECTION
`
`
`
`REsET TURNTABLE
`DRIVING SECTION
`
`
`
`coum HEATER
`DRIVING TIME
`
`PREDETERMINED
`
`TIME ELAPSE? -
`
`RESET HEATER
`DRIVING SECTION
`
`W
`
`4 of6
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`PENN EX. 2200
`CFAD V. UPENN
`lPR20l5-01836
`
`

`
`1
`
`5,1 11080
`
`MICROWAVE OVEN WITH A FUNCTION FOR
`DRYING TABLEWARE AND A DRIVE CONTROL
`METHOD THEREOF
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
`1. Field of the Present Invention
`The present invention relates to a convention micro-
`wave oven and more particularly, to a microwave oven
`with a function of a tableware dryer and it drive control
`method thereof for enabling the microwave oven to be
`used as a. tableware dryer.
`2. Description of the Prior Art
`Various types of microwave ovens are well known in
`the art. Such microwave ovens do not have a function
`of a tableware dryer. Such microwave ovens have only
`a function of heating food. As shown in FIGS. 1A and
`1B, a conventional microwave oven of such microwave
`ovens comprises a magnetron 4 for generating a high
`frequency, a waveguide 5 for transferring to a cavity 1
`the high frequency generated from the magnetron 4. a
`turntable 3 mounted on the bottom of the cavity for
`turning food, a roller 9 for supporting and smoothly
`driving the turntable 3, a turn table motor 2 for driving
`the turntable 3, a heater 6 mounted on the rear portion
`of the cavity 1 for generating heat. and a ventilator 7 for
`blowing into the cavity 1 the heat generated from the
`heater 6.
`
`The microwave oven, after placing food on the turn-
`table 3, is switched on, and a high frequency is gener-
`ated out of the magnetron 4. The frequency is con-
`ducted to the cavity 1 through the waveguide 6. and
`thus, the food on the turntable 3 is evenly heated while
`the turntable 3 is turned by the turntable motor .2.
`Meantime, in order to cook the food on the-turntable
`3 with heat, the magnetron 4 is not driven, The heater 6
`and the ventilator 7 are driven so that the food on the
`turntable 3 is heated since the heat generated from the
`heater 6 is transferred into the cavity 1 by the ventilator
`7.
`
`And also, a conventional stirrer fan type microwave
`oven heats the food on the glass dish evenly therein
`since the stirrer fan evenly spreads the high Frequency
`into the cavity thereof.
`the conventional microwave
`As mentioned above,
`ovens do not have a function for drying tableware, but
`only the function of heating food.
`However, when metal tableware is put in the cavity
`of the microwave oven for drying, sparks are created
`due to the high frequency. Therefore. such conven-
`tional microwave ovens have a drawback in that they
`cannot be used as a tableware dryer.
`SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
`
`IO
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`35
`
`45
`
`Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention
`to provide a microwave oven with a function for drying
`tableware dryer wherein the function can be changed
`from food heating to tableware drying.
`Another object of the present invention is to provide
`a microwave oven which performs a food heating func-
`tion in case that the tableware basket holder is not in the
`cavity of the microwave oven so that to dry the table-
`ware in the tableware basket, heat is generated from a
`heater and a ventilator is driven for a predetermined
`time while a magnetron is not driven. The tableware
`basket holder can be easily put in the cavity of the mi-
`crowave oven.
`
`65
`
`2
`Other objects and further scope of applicability of the
`present
`invention will become apparent from the de-
`tailed description given below. It should be understood.
`however, that the detailed description and specific ex-
`amples. while indicating preferred embodiments of the
`present invention. are given by way ofillustration only.
`Since various changes and modifications within the
`spirit and scope of the present invention will become
`apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed
`description.
`Briefly described, the present invention relates to a
`microwave oven with a function for drying tableware
`in a microwave oven which includes a heater and a
`
`magnetron controlled by a microcomputer. a tableware
`basket holder detachably equipped with a tableware
`basket, a water bucket and a plate, and a tableware
`basket holder sensing section mounted to sense the ta-
`bleware basket holder which is inserted in a cavity
`thereof, whereby a tableware drying function is per-
`formed by driving the heater with control of the mi-
`crocomputer when a tableware basket holer sensing
`signal
`is generated from the tableware basket holder
`sensing section.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`The present invention will become more fully under-
`stood from the detailed description given below and the
`accompanying drawings which are given by way of
`illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the pres-
`ent invention. and wherein:
`FIGS. ILA} and 1(B) are front sectional view and left
`side views of a conventional microwave oven to which
`the present invention is applied;
`FIG. 2 is a prospective view of a tableware basket
`holder according to the present invention;
`FIG. 3 is a control block diagram according to the
`present invention:
`FIG. 4 shows detailed circuits for driving sections of
`FIG. 3; and
`FIG. 5 is a flow chart for microcomputer signals of
`FIG. 3.
`
`DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
`EMBODIMENTS
`
`Referring now in detail to the drawings for the pur-
`pose of illustrating preferred embodiments of the pres-
`ent invention. the microwave oven with a function for
`drying tableware and a drive control method thereof as
`shown in FIGS. 1A, 1B. 2. and 3 comprises a micro-
`wave oven equipped with a heater 6 and a magnetron 4,
`a tableware basket holder 10 built with an upper sup-
`porter I1 and an lower supporter 14 in a rectangular
`shape. Comets of the tableware basket holder 10 are
`fixed at support bars 12. Hooks 13 are formed on the
`middle point of each of the support bars 12. A tableware
`basket 16 is equipped with a plural number of compart-
`ments 15 and is able to be hung from the hooks 13. A
`water bucket 17 is supported by the lower supporter 14,"
`and a plate 18 is attached to one bar of the supporter 11.
`The tableware basket holder 10 made of plastic is
`formed in a suitable size in order to be put in a cavity 1
`(FIG. 1) and the tableware basket 16 is constructed with
`a net shape for a good air flow. And also. a tableware
`basket holder sensing section 25 is mounted on an upper
`part of the left wall of the cavity 1. which is opposite of
`a plate 13 when the tableware basket holder 10 is put in
`the cavity 1.
`
`5of6
`
`PENN EX. 2200
`
`CFAD V. UPENN
`lPR20l5-01836
`
`

`
`5,1 17,080
`
`3
`As shown in FIG. 3, the microwave oven is struc-
`tured such that electric power is supplied from a power
`supply 21. The microwave oven includes a reset control
`section 22, an oscillation section 23, a door sensing
`section 24. a key input section 27 for a microcomputer
`20, a buzzer control section 26, a magnetron driving
`section 28, a turntable driving section 29, a heater driv-
`ing section 30 controlled by the microcomputer 20. An
`output terminal of the tableware basket holder sensing
`section 25 is connected to the microcomputer 20. The
`microcomputer 20 drives the heater driving section 30
`for a predetermined time while not driving the magne-
`tron driving section 23 and the turntable driving section
`29 when the tableware basket holder sensing signal
`from the tableware basket holder sensing" section 25 is
`applied to the microcomputer 20.
`FIG. 4 shows detailed circuits for the magnetron
`driving section 23, the turntable driving section 29, and
`the heater driving section 3|) of FIG. 3.
`As shown in FIG. 4, the magnetron driving section
`28 is built so that the magnetron 4 is driven by activat-
`ing a relay RY] when a magnetron driving signal ap-
`pears at an output terminal P] of the microcomputer 20
`which turn ON transistor Q11. The turntable driving
`section 29 is constructed such that the turntable motor
`2 is driven by activating a relay RY2 active when a
`turntable driving signal appears at an output terminal P2
`of the microcomputer 20 which turns ON a transistor
`Q12. The heater driving section 30 is structured such
`that the heater 6 is driven by activating relay RY3 when
`a heater driving signal appeared at an output terminal
`P3 of the microcomputer 20 turns a transistor Q13 on.
`The microwave oven according to the present inven-
`tion operates as follows.
`As shown in FIG. 5. the same operations as those of
`the conventional microwave ovens are applied to the
`present invention when the tableware basket holder 10
`is_ not inserted in the cavity 1, because a tableware bas-
`ket holder sensing signal is not produced from the table-
`ware basket holder sensing section 25. Meanwhile,
`when the tableware basket holder II) with tableware is
`inserted in the cavity 1, a tableware basket holder sens-
`ing signal is generated from the tableware basket sens~_
`in g section 25 opposite to the plate 18 and applied to the
`microcomputer 20, whereby the microcomputer 20 sets
`up a tableware drying execution mode to perform the
`tableware drying function as shown in the flow chart of
`FIG. 5.
`At this time, the microcomputer 20 sets its output
`terminal P3 and resets its output terminals P1 and P2,
`whereby the low potential signals which turn OFF
`transistors Q11 and Q12 prepresent at the output termi-
`nals P1 and P2 of the microcomputer 20. Accordingly,
`the magnetron 4 and the turntable motor 2 are not
`driven since switches KY1] and RY]2 are kept open by
`relays RYI and RY2. Therefore, no high frequency is
`transferred into the cavity 1 because the magnetron 4 is
`not activated to generate a high frequency, and the
`turntable 3 does not turn.
`
`Also, at this time, a transistor Q13 is turned ON due
`to a high potential signal at the output terminal P3 of the
`microcomputer 2|], whereby a switch RY3l is so closed
`by relay RT3 such that an AC current passes through
`the heater 6 to generate heat from the heater 6.
`The generated heat is sent into the cavity 1 by the
`ventilator 7 so that the heat dries the tableware in the
`tableware basket 16 which is held in the tableware bas-
`
`IO
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`35'
`
`55
`
`65
`
`4
`ket holder 10. Thereafter, the microcomputer 20 resets
`the output terminal P3 to convert its output to a low
`potential signal just after an elapse ofthe predetermined
`time. This low potential signal turn OFF the transistor
`Q13 so that relay RY3 is not driven anymore. thereby
`putting to an end to the tableware drying function.
`Also, by detaching the plate 18 from the tableware
`basket holder 1|). the food heating function can be per-
`formed when the tableware basket holder 10 is not
`inserted in the cavity 1.
`when the plate 13 is detached. no tableware basket
`holder sensing signal
`is produced form the tableware
`basket sensing section 26 so that food can be heated
`using the same operations as those of as conventional
`microwave ovens as described above.
`When the tableware basket holder 10 is not built in
`the cavity 1 has been described here. The tableware
`basket holder 10 may be built in the cavity 1 by making
`the tableware basket- holder 10 round.
`As described above in detail, the microwave oven,
`according to the present invention allows the sanitary
`management of tableware can be offered and more
`convenience can be olfered to the users. since the mi-
`crowave oven can be used as a tableware dryer.
`The present invention being thus described, it will be
`obvious that the same may be varied in many ways.
`Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure
`from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and
`all such modifications as would be obvious to one
`
`skilled in the art are intended to be included in the scope
`of the following claims.
`'
`What is claimed is:
`1. A microwave oven with a function for drying
`tableware, comprising:
`a microwave oven including.
`a cavity,
`a heater,
`a magnetron, and
`a microcomputer for controlling said heater and
`said magnetron;
`a tableware basket holder detachably connected to
`said cavity in said microwave oven;
`said tableware basket holder including,
`a tableware basket,
`a water bucket, and
`a plate; and
`tableware basket holder sensing means for sensing
`said tableware basket holder in said cavity of said
`microwave oven;
`said microcomputer driving said heater when said
`tableware basket holder sensing means senses said
`tableware basket holder is in said microwave oven,
`thereby performing a tableware drying function.
`2. A method for controlling a microwave oven with
`a function for drying tableware, comprising the steps of:
`(a} sensing whether a tableware basket holder is in the
`microwave oven;
`(b) heating food by operating a magnetron and oper-
`ating a turntable when said step (a) does not sense
`the tableware basket holder
`in the microwave
`oven; and
`(c) drying tableware by operating a heater, not oper-
`ating the magnetron, and not operating the turnta-
`ble when said step (a) senses that the tableware
`basket holder is in the microwave oven.
`3
`H
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`I
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`-'15‘.
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`6of6
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`PENN EX. 2200
`
`CFAD V. UPENN
`lPR20l5-01836