Patent · US Expired

Microwave oven with humidity sensor

US6774347B2 · kind B2 · utility

11Cited by
5References
27Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 7, 2001
Grant dateAug 10, 2004
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 15, 2022

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH05B6/6458
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A microwave oven includes a humidity sensor, a main-outlet and a sub-outlet formed at opposite sidewalls of a cooking cavity such that the cooking cavity communicates with the atmosphere through the main-outlet and the sub-outlet. The sub-outlet is installed in a machine room adjacent an air inlet side of a cooling fan. The humidity sensor is installed in the machine room at a position adjacent to the sub-outlet and senses the humidity of air inside the cooking cavity by sensing the humidity of a part of the air discharged from the cooking cavity through the sub-outlet. The surface of the humidity sensor is less likely to be easily contaminated by the air exhausted from the cooking cavity, moisture deposited on the surface of the humidity sensor 60 is quickly evaporated so that the humidity sensor performs its desired operation even when the microwave oven sequentially performs several cooking processes.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.