US 12,133,317 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 Dec. 2, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/073,694.
Application 18/073,694 is a continuation of application No. 16/265,432, filed on Feb. 1, 2019, granted, now 11,523,473.
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 2023/0097488 A1, Mar. 30, 2023
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)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A microwave oven, comprising:
an external enclosure having first and second sides extending between a top having a top surface and a bottom having a bottom surface, the top surface being a horizontal surface of the external enclosure defining a cooling air inlet, a cooling air outlet, at least one vent outlet, wherein the at least one vent outlet includes a recirculation vent outlet disposed between the cooling air inlet and the cooling air outlet, and wherein the bottom surface defines at least one vent inlet;
an internal enclosure having a top wall and first and second sidewalls defining a cooking cavity within the external enclosure, wherein a first air passage is defined through the first sidewall of the internal enclosure and a second air passage is defined through the top wall of the internal enclosure, wherein a cooking component area is defined between the first sidewall of the internal enclosure and the external enclosure;
a cooling fan disposed within the cooking component area, wherein the cooling fan is configured to direct air along a cooling air path, and wherein the cooling air flowing along the cooling air path is:
directed in a first vertical direction through the cooling air inlet and into the cooking component area;
directed in a horizontal direction through the first air passage and through the cooking cavity;
directed in a second vertical direction through the second air passage to exit the cooking cavity; and
directed in the second vertical direction through the cooling air outlet to expel the cooling air from the external enclosure; and
at least one hood fan disposed laterally adjacent to the internal enclosure and between the external enclosure and the internal enclosure, wherein the at least one hood fan is configured to draw air through the at least one vent inlet and expel air through the at least one vent outlet, and wherein the cooking cavity is free of the air directed by the at least one hood fan.