US 12,289,819 B2
Combination microwave and hood system
Owen (XunCai) Zhang, Shenzhen (CN); Michael A. Ledford, St. Joseph, MI (US); Stephen Zheng, Shenzhen (CN); and Xiangxu Liu, Shenzhen (CN)
Assigned to Whirlpool Corporation, Benton Harbor, MI (US)
Filed by WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION, Benton Harbor, MI (US)
Filed on Sep. 16, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/886,749.
Application 18/886,749 is a continuation of application No. 18/312,925, filed on May 5, 2023.
Application 18/312,925 is a continuation of application No. 18/073,694, filed on Dec. 2, 2022, granted, now 12,133,317.
Application 18/073,694 is a continuation of application No. 16/265,432, filed on Feb. 1, 2019, granted, now 11,523,473, issued on Dec. 6, 2022.
Application 16/265,432 is a continuation in part of application No. 16/090,440, granted, now 11,079,118, issued on Aug. 3, 2021, previously published as PCT/CN2017/080048, filed on Apr. 11, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/321,283, filed on Apr. 12, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2025/0016895 A1, Jan. 9, 2025
Int. Cl. H05B 6/64 (2006.01); F24C 15/20 (2006.01)
CPC H05B 6/6423 (2013.01) [F24C 15/2042 (2013.01); H05B 6/6402 (2013.01); H05B 6/6426 (2013.01); H05B 2206/042 (2013.01)] 30 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A microwave oven having a low profile configuration, comprising:
an external enclosure including:
a first side portion;
a second side portion;
a top portion extending from the first side portion to the second side portion;
a bottom portion extending from the first side portion to the second side portion; and
a door;
a cooking cavity located within the external enclosure, wherein the door is operable to enclose the cooking cavity;
a cooking component located inside the external enclosure and outside the cooking cavity;
at least one recirculation vent outlet located proximate an edge of the top portion;
at least one vent inlet located on the bottom portion of the external enclosure;
at least one hood fan located inside the external enclosure, wherein the at least one hood fan is configured to:
draw air through the at least one vent inlet; and
expel the air vertically through the at least one recirculation vent outlet;
a cooling air inlet;
a cooling air outlet in fluid communication with the cooling air inlet; and
a cooling fan configured to:
draw air through the cooling air inlet;
direct the air through the cooking cavity; and
expel the air vertically through the cooling air outlet, wherein each of the cooling fan and the at least one hood fan is located vertically below a top surface of the cooking cavity and vertically above a bottom surface of the cooking cavity.