Abstract A microwave cooking oven door assembly is disclosed in which the entire door assembly is made of a bonded laminar construction which is self-supporting and shatterproof. The door assembly comprises a relatively thin sheet of metal having an array of closely spaced perforations formed therein. The array of perforations functions as a viewing window to the inside of the oven cavity. In one embodiment, the sheet of metal is sandwiched between a pair of glass panels and bonded thereto by layers of adhesive material. In another embodiment, the metal sheet is positioned between a glass panel and a thin film of polycarbonate, and bonded thereto by layers of adhesive material. The layers of adhesive material can be either coextensive with the laminar sheets and panels, or they can extend only around the borders thereof. In both embodiments the laminated construction is subjected to thermal compression to enable the various layers to adhere to each other.
A door assembly for sealing the opening of a microwave oven cavity, the cavity opening extending through the front face of the oven, comprising: a relatively thin sheet of self-supporting, shatterproof metal 20 thousandths of an inch thick extending in a plane over the entire opening of the oven cavity and over the front face of the oven forming said opening: a glass panel coextensive with said sheet of metal on the side of said sheet opposite the front face of the oven; a second panel of non-metal material coextensive with and bonded to said sheet on the side of said sheet facing the front face of the oven, said panel completely extending over the opening of the oven cavity and over the front face of the oven forming said opening; and a first quantity of adhesive material located about the periphery of said glass panel bonding said glass panel to said sheet of metal, and a second quantity of adhesive material located about the periphery of said second panel bonding said second panel to said sheet of metal to form an integral laminated door.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
185 words
A door assembly for sealing the opening of a microwave oven cavity, the cavity opening extending through the front face of the oven, comprising: a relatively thin sheet of self-supporting, shatterproof metal 20 thousandths of an inch thick extending in a plane over the entire opening of the oven cavity and over the front face of the oven forming said opening: a glass panel coextensive with said sheet of metal on the side of said sheet opposite the front face of the oven; a second panel of non-metal material coextensive with and bonded to said sheet on the side of said sheet facing the front face of the oven, said panel completely extending over the opening of the oven cavity and over the front face of the oven forming said opening; and a first quantity of adhesive material located about the periphery of said glass panel bonding said glass panel to said sheet of metal, and a second quantity of adhesive material located about the periphery of said second panel bonding said second panel to said sheet of metal to form an integral laminated door.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein said sheet of metal includes an array of perforations formed over an extended area thereof.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein said second panel is of a polycarbonate material.