High frequency heating apparatus with selectable steam generating means

Claim 1

A microwave heating apparatus comprising: a housing; an oven disposed in the housing to receive a foodstuff to be cooked; an A.C. power source; a steam generator provided in the housing for supplying steam into the oven; a microwave generator provided in the housing for radiating microwave energy into the oven; and control means provided in the housing for controlling the operation of the steam and microwave generators in a user-selected one of three (3) modes (a), (b), and (c) of operation: (a) a first mode wherein only the steam generator is operated, (b) a second mode wherein only the microwave generator is operated, and (c) a third mode wherein the steam generator and the microwave generator are operated sequentially alternatingly, said control means including a first timer for setting an energization period of time for said steam generator, a second timer for setting an energization period of time for said microwave generator, an on-off switch which is turned on when said second timer is enabled, and a transfer switch connecting said A.C. power source to said steam generator when said first timer is enabled and connecting said A.C. power source to said on-off switch when the first timer is disabled.