US5204503A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Microwave oven having convection and griddle features
Assignee: Nortel Networks Ltd
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Filing: 1991-12-17
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Granted: 1993-04-20
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Expires: 2011-12-17
Abstract
Abstract A microwave oven having griddle and convection cooking capabilities. A microwave oven cooking cavity has an aluminum bottom with a Calrod heating element coupled thereto. Convection heating is provided by routing air, introduced into the oven to cool electronics including the magnetron, between the cooking cavity and the outer housing of the oven. In this way, such air flow cools the outer housing of the oven. The air flows under the griddle and through a plenum adjacent to the heating element in order to further heat the air. The heated air is then directed into the cooking cavity to provide convection cooking. From the cavity, the air is exhausted from the oven through apertures disposed in the door adjacent to a choke seal.
Inventors
- 👤 Joseph C. Maiellano, Jr.
- 👤 John S. Sklenak
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-10 01:58
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05B; H05B6/00; H05B6/64; H05B6/72; H05B6/725; F; F24; F24C; F24C7/00; F24C7/06; H05B6/647; H05B6/6473; H05B6/74; H05B6/76; H05B6/766
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
77 words
A microwave oven comprising: an outer housing; a cooking cavity disposed within said outer housing, said cooking cavity comprising a top wall, a bottom wall, and side walls; means for energizing said cooking cavity with microwave energy; an electric griddle mounted to said bottom wall of said cooking cavity; and means for directing a flow of air along the underside of said electric griddle and into said cooking cavity to provide convective heating within said cooking cavity.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
77 words
A microwave oven comprising: an outer housing; a cooking cavity disposed within said outer housing, said cooking cavity comprising a top wall, a bottom wall, and side walls; means for energizing said cooking cavity with microwave energy; an electric griddle mounted to said bottom wall of said cooking cavity; and means for directing a flow of air along the underside of said electric griddle and into said cooking cavity to provide convective heating within said cooking cavity.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
The microwave oven recited in claim 1 wherein said energizing means is a magnetron and said air directing means comprises means for directing said flow of air through said magnetron to cool said magnetron.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
The microwave oven recited in claim 1 further comprising a door hingedly coupled to said outer housing, wherein said air directing means includes means for directing said flow of air out of said cooking cavity through said door.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
The microwave oven recited in claim 1 wherein said air flow directing means includes means for directing said flow of air into said cooking cavity through said sidewalls.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
160 words
A microwave oven comprising: an outer housing; a cooking cavity disposed within said outer housing, said cooking cavity comprising a top wall, a bottom wall, and a plurality of side walls; means for energizing said cooking cavity with microwave energy; an electric griddle mounted to said bottom wall; a wrapper spacedly disposed around said bottom wall and a lower portion of at least one of said plurality of side walls to form a sealed plenum surrounding said bottom wall and said lower portion of said at least one side wall, said wrapper having an aperture disposed therein and said at least one side wall having perforations communicating from said plenum to said cooking cavity; and means for directing a flow of air into said plenum through said aperture and through said plenum along the underside of said electric griddle to heat said air, wherein said heated air is directed through said perforations to provide convective heating within said cooking cavity.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
160 words
A microwave oven comprising: an outer housing; a cooking cavity disposed within said outer housing, said cooking cavity comprising a top wall, a bottom wall, and a plurality of side walls; means for energizing said cooking cavity with microwave energy; an electric griddle mounted to said bottom wall; a wrapper spacedly disposed around said bottom wall and a lower portion of at least one of said plurality of side walls to form a sealed plenum surrounding said bottom wall and said lower portion of said at least one side wall, said wrapper having an aperture disposed therein and said at least one side wall having perforations communicating from said plenum to said cooking cavity; and means for directing a flow of air into said plenum through said aperture and through said plenum along the underside of said electric griddle to heat said air, wherein said heated air is directed through said perforations to provide convective heating within said cooking cavity.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
The microwave oven recited in claim 5 wherein a plurality of said side walls have perforations.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
The microwave oven recited in claim 6 wherein said aperture is disposed in a central portion of said wrapper below said electric griddle.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
14 words
The microwave oven recited in claim 7 wherein said energizing means is a magnetron.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
The microwave oven recited in claim 8 wherein said directing means comprises means for directing said flow of air through said magnetron to cool said magnetron before passing into said plenum.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
39 words
The microwave oven recited in claim 8 further comprising an electronics compartment, wherein said directing means further comprises means for directing said flow of air through said electronics compartment to cool said electronics compartment before passing through said magnetron.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
80 words
A microwave oven comprising: an outer housing; a cooking cavity disposed within said outer housing said cooking cavity comprising a top wall, a bottom wall, and side walls; means for directing a flow of air into said cooking cavity; and a door hingedly coupled to said outer housing, said door having a quarter wavelength choke cavity disposed around the perimeter thereof, said choke cavity having perforations through which said flow of air from said cooking cavity exits said outer housing.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
80 words
A microwave oven comprising: an outer housing; a cooking cavity disposed within said outer housing said cooking cavity comprising a top wall, a bottom wall, and side walls; means for directing a flow of air into said cooking cavity; and a door hingedly coupled to said outer housing, said door having a quarter wavelength choke cavity disposed around the perimeter thereof, said choke cavity having perforations through which said flow of air from said cooking cavity exits said outer housing.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
31 words
The microwave oven recited in claim 11 wherein said door comprises an inner panel and an outer panel spaced from said inner panel to form a hollow region within said door.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
17 words
The microwave oven recited in claim 12 wherein said outer panel has an exhaust vent disposed therein.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
169 words
A microwave oven comprising: an outer housing; a cooking cavity disposed within said outer housing said cooking cavity comprising a top wall, a bottom wall, and side walls; means for directing a flow of air into said cooking cavity; a door hingedly coupled to said outer housing, said door having a quarter wavelength choke cavity disposed around the perimeter thereof, said choke cavity having perforations for exhausting said flow of air from said cooking caity, said door comprising an inner panel and an outer panel spaced from said inner panel to form a hollow region within said door, wherein said outer panel has an exhaust vent disposed therein, wherein said door has an aperture disposed in a portion thereof between said outer panel and said inner panel and said air directing means includes means for directing said flow of air from said cooking cavity through said perforations to mix with ambient air entering said hollow region through said aperture and to exit said hollow region through said exhaust vent.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
169 words
A microwave oven comprising: an outer housing; a cooking cavity disposed within said outer housing said cooking cavity comprising a top wall, a bottom wall, and side walls; means for directing a flow of air into said cooking cavity; a door hingedly coupled to said outer housing, said door having a quarter wavelength choke cavity disposed around the perimeter thereof, said choke cavity having perforations for exhausting said flow of air from said cooking caity, said door comprising an inner panel and an outer panel spaced from said inner panel to form a hollow region within said door, wherein said outer panel has an exhaust vent disposed therein, wherein said door has an aperture disposed in a portion thereof between said outer panel and said inner panel and said air directing means includes means for directing said flow of air from said cooking cavity through said perforations to mix with ambient air entering said hollow region through said aperture and to exit said hollow region through said exhaust vent.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1996-04-19 | 1996-10-19 | 1997-04-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2000-04-19 | 2000-10-19 | 2001-04-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2004-04-19 | 2004-10-19 | 2005-04-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |