Cooking utensil

By setting fan components in the rear space of the microwave oven and optimizing the airflow path, the performance degradation and length increase caused by excessive distance between the fan and the suction hole is solved, and more efficient gas emissions and compact cooking utensil design are achieved.

CN120304012APending Publication Date: 2025-07-11LG ELECTRONICS INC
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202380083537.6
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Applications(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Priority Date
2023-03-06
Filing Date
2023-12-06
Publication Date
2025-07-11

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

In the design of existing microwave ovens combined with range hoods, the distance between the fan and the suction hole is too large, resulting in a decrease in the cooking gas collection performance, and the overall vertical length increases, affecting the aesthetics and convenience of use.

Method used

The fan assembly is arranged in the rear space of the cooking appliance and directs the airflow through the flow path defining member, reducing the increase in vertical and transverse lengths while optimizing the airflow path to improve exhaust efficiency.

Benefits of technology

It effectively suppresses the increase in vertical and horizontal lengths of the cooking utensils, improves the airflow emission performance, and reduces the flow path resistance, ensuring the smooth emission of cooking gas and the effective cooling of electronic components.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

Disclosed is an invention relating to a cooking appliance. The invention disclosed herein is characterized in that a fan assembly that draws air into the cooking utensil and then discharges the air to the outside of the cooking utensil is disposed inside the cooking utensil, the fan assembly being disposed in a space between a rear surface of a cavity in which a cooking chamber is formed and a rear plate, the rear plate forms an exterior of a rear surface of the cooking appliance.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a cooking appliance, and more particularly, to a cooking appliance that provides both a cooking function and a fume extraction function. Background Art

[0002] A cooking appliance is a household device for cooking food and is a device installed in a kitchen space to cook food according to a user's intention. Such cooking appliances can be variously classified according to the type of heat source, form, or fuel to be used.

[0003] When classifying cooking appliances according to the type of food being cooked, cooking appliances can be classified into open cooking appliances and closed cooking appliances according to the type of space for placing food. Closed cooking appliances include ovens, microwave ovens, etc., and open cooking appliances include cooktops, stoves, etc.

[0004] A closed cooking appliance is a cooking appliance that shields the space where food is located and heats the shielded space to cook food. In a closed cooking appliance, a chamber (i.e., a cooking chamber) is provided inside the main body, and the chamber is a space that is shielded while cooking food when food is placed therein. Such a cooking chamber becomes a substantially food-cooking space. A heat source is provided in the internal space or external space of the cooking chamber to heat the cooking chamber.

[0005] The microwave oven of a closed cooking appliance is a cooking device that uses electricity to generate microwaves to penetrate an object to be cooked accommodated in a cooking chamber, thereby heating the object to be cooked by causing molecular motion therein.

[0006] A microwave oven is a kitchen device that simultaneously heats the inside and outside of food by irradiating high-frequency waves of a magnetron onto the food, and is widely used due to the following advantages: such as significantly shortening the cooking time of food due to high heat efficiency, reducing the loss of nutritional value during the cooking, thawing, and heating processes of food, and being able to directly cook while storing food in a container.

[0007] Recently, a microwave oven with a fume extraction function combined with a fume extractor, also known as an OTR (Over the Range, top-mounted) type microwave oven, has been released. The OTR type microwave oven with a fume extractor has a fume extraction function of discharging air containing foreign substances (hereinafter referred to as "cooking gas") generated during the cooking of food from a cooking appliance installed below it, or filtering the cooking gas and then discharging the filtered gas to the inside.

[0008] A fan for sucking and discharging air is provided in a microwave oven combined with a fume extractor. Such a fan is usually provided on the top of the cavity that defines the cooking chamber. That is, in a microwave oven with a fume extractor, the fan is usually provided on the top of the cavity.

[0009] However, when the fan is set at the position as described above, the distance between the fan and the suction hole provided at the lower end of the microwave oven combined with the range hood is greater than the vertical length of the cavity. As described above, the increase in the distance between the suction hole and the fan inevitably reduces the cooking gas collection performance of the microwave oven with the range hood. This is because the flow velocity of the suction air flow generated by the fan may decrease in a manner inversely proportional to the square of the distance from the fan to the suction hole.

[0010] In addition, when the fan is set at the above position, the overall vertical length of the microwave oven combined with the range hood inevitably increases. Therefore, when the microwave oven combined with the range hood with an increased vertical length is installed in the upper cabinet, the possibility that the microwave oven combined with the range hood protrudes downward beyond the upper cabinet increases.

[0011] When the microwave oven with the range hood protrudes downward beyond the upper cabinet, its aesthetics are poor, and there may be a problem of a small distance between the stove installed under the upper cabinet and the microwave oven with the range hood.

[0012] When the distance between the stove and the microwave oven with the range hood is small as the microwave oven with the range hood protrudes downward beyond the upper cabinet, there may be problems such as the microwave oven with the range hood blocking the view of the user who wants to use the stove and a small cooking area of the stove. Summary of the Invention

[0013] Technical Objectives

[0014] The object of the present disclosure is to provide a cooking appliance with an improved structure to provide a range hood function while suppressing an increase in the total vertical length of the cooking appliance.

[0015] In addition, another object of the present disclosure is to provide a cooking appliance with an improved structure to suppress an increase in the lateral length and the front - rear length of the cooking appliance while reducing the vertical length of the cooking appliance.

[0016] In addition, another object of the present disclosure is to provide a cooking appliance with an improved structure to reduce the airflow loss generated inside the cooking appliance while suppressing an increase in the overall volume of the cooking appliance.

[0017] In addition, another object of the present disclosure is to provide a cooking appliance with an improved structure to reduce the flow path resistance inside the cooking appliance and allow the discharged air to flow smoothly.

[0018] Technical Solutions

[0019] A cooking appliance for achieving the above object according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is characterized in that a fan assembly for sucking air into the cooking appliance and then discharging the air to the outside of the cooking appliance is provided at the rear of a cavity having a cooking chamber defined therein.

[0020] In addition, another aspect of the present disclosure is characterized in that a fan assembly for sucking air into the cooking appliance and then discharging the air to the outside of the cooking appliance is provided inside the cooking appliance and is provided in a space defined at the rear of the cavity.

[0021] In addition, another aspect of the present disclosure is characterized in that a fan assembly for sucking air into the cooking appliance and then discharging the air to the outside of the cooking appliance is provided inside the cooking appliance and is provided in a space between the rear surface of the cavity and a rear plate, the cavity having a cooking chamber defined therein, and the rear plate constituting the rear appearance of the cooking appliance.

[0022] In addition, another aspect of the present disclosure is characterized in that at least one fan assembly is provided in a rear space, which is a space between the rear surface of a cavity having a cooking chamber defined therein and a rear plate constituting the rear surface appearance of the cooking appliance, and at least one flow path defined by a plurality of flow path plates provided in the rear space constitutes a passage connecting the fan assembly and an exhaust hole to each other, thereby inducing an air flow.

[0023] In addition, another aspect of the present disclosure provides a cooking appliance, which may include: a main body including a cooking chamber defined in a cavity, a rear space provided at the rear of the cavity, a side space provided on a side surface of the cavity, and a corner space where the rear space and the side partially overlap; a corner fan assembly provided in the corner space and configured to suck air through a suction hole and discharge the sucked air laterally through a discharge hole; and a support member configured to support the corner fan assembly such that the air flow discharged from the discharge hole can be guided to the rear space.

[0024] In addition, the support member may preferably constitute a wall that blocks the side space and the rear space from each other.

[0025] In addition, another aspect of the present disclosure provides a cooking appliance, which may include: a main body having a cooking chamber defined in a cavity and a side space provided on a side surface of the cavity; a partition plate configured to vertically partition the side space into a lower electronic / electrical component chamber and an upper electronic / electrical component chamber; a cooling fan provided in the lower electronic / electrical component chamber; a blower provided behind the cooling fan; and a support member configured to constitute a wall that blocks the cooling fan and the blower from each other.

[0026] In addition, the connecting flow path can be defined inside the main body, and the connecting flow path forms a passage through which the air introduced into the lower electronic / electrical component chamber by the cooling fan is introduced into the blower through the upper electronic / electrical component chamber.

[0027] In addition, another aspect of the present disclosure provides a cooking appliance, which may include: a main body having a cooking chamber defined in a cavity, a rear space provided at the rear of the cavity, and an upper space provided above the cavity, wherein the main body has an exhaust hole defined therein to communicate the upper space with the outside; a blower configured to suck air into the main body and discharge the sucked air into the upper space through the rear space; and an extension plate provided inside the main body.

[0028] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a cooking appliance, which includes: a main body having a cooking chamber defined in a cavity and an upper space provided above the cavity, wherein the main body has an exhaust hole defined therein to communicate the upper space with the outside and a circulating air discharge hole forming a passage connecting the cooking chamber and the upper space to each other; a blower configured to suck air into the main body and discharge the sucked air into the upper space; and an exhaust duct having a flow path defined therein, and the flow path is connected to the circulating air discharge hole.

[0029] In addition, another aspect of the present disclosure provides a cooking appliance, which may include: a cavity having a cooking chamber defined therein; a front plate provided in front of the cavity; and a rear support member provided at the rear of the cavity.

[0030] In addition, another aspect of the present disclosure provides a cooking appliance, which may include: a cavity having a cooking chamber defined therein; a rear plate provided at the rear of the cavity; and a rear support member provided in a rear space, which is a space between the rear surface of the cavity and the rear plate.

[0031] In this regard, the lower end of the front plate can be provided at a vertical height lower than the vertical height of the cavity, and the rear support member can contact the bottom surface of the cavity while being positioned at a vertical height lower than the vertical height of the cavity and can support the cavity.

[0032] In addition, another aspect of the present disclosure provides a cooking appliance, which may include: a main body having a cooking chamber defined in a cavity and a side space provided on a side surface of the cavity; a partition plate that vertically partitions the side space into a lower electronic / electrical component chamber and an upper electronic / electrical component chamber; a through hole that forms a passage connecting the lower electronic / electrical component chamber and the upper electronic / electrical component chamber to each other, such that the passage is defined in the partition plate; and a shielding member that is provided at a predetermined distance from the through hole in a vertical direction and is configured to shield the through hole when located above or below the through hole.

[0033] In addition, another aspect of the present disclosure provides a cooking appliance, which may include: a main body having a cooking chamber defined in the cavity and an upper space provided above the cavity; a lamp installed on an upper surface of the cavity to illuminate the cooking chamber, wherein at least a part of the lamp is exposed above the top of the cavity; and a lamp shade that covers the lamp such that a space around the lamp is isolated from the upper space.

[0034] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a cooking appliance may include: a main body having a cooking chamber defined therein and having an air intake hole and an exhaust hole; a blower configured to suck air through the air intake hole and then discharge the sucked air to the exhaust hole; and a flow path defining member configured to induce an air flow of the air discharged from the blower.

[0035] In addition, a rear space formed at a position behind the cooking chamber and communicating with the air intake hole and the exhaust hole may be defined inside the main body.

[0036] In addition, the flow path defining member may define an exhaust flow path for guiding the air discharged from the blower toward the exhaust hole.

[0037] Wherein, the exhaust flow path may be provided in the rear space.

[0038] In addition, the main body may include a cavity and a rear plate, the cavity having a cooking chamber defined therein, and the rear plate being provided at the rear of the cavity.

[0039] Furthermore, the rear space may be defined between the cavity and the rear plate.

[0040] In addition, the main body may include a cavity and a box body, the cavity having a cooking chamber defined therein, and the box body having an upper surface provided above the cavity.

[0041] In addition, the exhaust hole may communicate with an upper space defined between an upper surface of the cavity and an upper surface of the box body.

[0042] In addition, the exhaust flow path can connect the blower to the upper space.

[0043] In addition, the exhaust hole can be formed to extend through the upper surface of the cabinet.

[0044] In addition, the inlet of the exhaust flow path can be opened toward the blower, and the outlet of the exhaust flow path can be opened toward the upper space.

[0045] In addition, the exhaust hole can be provided in a region that overlaps the outlet of the exhaust flow path in the vertical direction.

[0046] In addition, the blower can be provided in the rear space.

[0047] In addition, the blower can include a rear fan assembly configured to suck air through a first suction hole and discharge the sucked air through a first discharge hole.

[0048] In addition, the flow path defining member can include a first flow path plate that forms a wall blocking the first suction hole and the first discharge hole from each other.

[0049] In addition, the first discharge hole can be provided on the upper surface of the rear fan assembly.

[0050] In addition, the flow path defining member can further include a fastening plate configured to open the first discharge hole upward and coupled to the upper surface of the rear fan assembly.

[0051] In addition, the first flow path plate extends upward from the fastening plate.

[0052] In addition, the cooking appliance of the present disclosure can further include an extension plate provided to separate the upper space formed above the cooking chamber from the rear space from each other.

[0053] In the vertical direction, the extension plate can be provided between the rear fan assembly and the upper space.

[0054] In addition, the first suction hole can be provided below the fastening plate.

[0055] In addition, the first flow path plate can form a vertical wall that blocks a lateral channel formed between the rear fan assembly and the extension plate that are separated from each other in the vertical direction.

[0056] In addition, at least a part of the first flow path plate protrudes upward from the extension plate.

[0057] In addition, the flow path defining member can further include a second flow path plate that forms a wall blocking the first suction hole and the first discharge hole from each other.

[0058] In addition, the rear fan assembly can be provided in the lateral direction between the first flow path plate and the second flow path plate.

[0059] In addition, the flow path defining member may further include a fastening plate that is coupled to the upper surface of the rear fan assembly.

[0060] In addition, the fastening plate may connect the first flow path plate and the second flow path plate to each other.

[0061] In addition, the first flow path plate, the second flow path plate, and the fastening plate may be integrally formed.

[0062] In addition, the blower may further include a corner fan assembly that is disposed on one side of the rear fan assembly and is spaced apart from the rear fan assembly by a predetermined distance.

[0063] In addition, the flow path defining member may include a second flow path plate that is disposed between the rear fan assembly and the corner fan assembly and forms a wall that blocks the first suction hole and the first suction hole from each other.

[0064] In addition, the corner fan assembly may be configured to suck air through the second suction hole and discharge the sucked air through the second discharge hole.

[0065] In addition, the second discharge hole may be provided to face the horizontally disposed first suction hole.

[0066] In addition, the vertical height of the first discharge hole may be higher than the vertical heights of the first suction hole and the second discharge hole, respectively.

[0067] In addition, the second flow path plate may form an inclined wall that blocks the first suction hole and the first discharge hole from each other and blocks the first suction hole and the second discharge hole from each other.

[0068] In addition, the first suction hole may be provided below the fastening plate.

[0069] In addition, the upper end of the second flow path plate may be connected to the fastening plate.

[0070] In addition, the lower end of the second flow path plate may be disposed adjacent to the corner fan assembly and may be disposed below the second exhaust hole.

[0071] In addition, the cooking appliance of the present disclosure may further include a lateral support member that forms a wall that blocks a side space and an exhaust flow path, the side space being provided on one side of the cooking chamber and defined inside the main body.

[0072] In addition, a side space and a corner space may be defined inside the main body, the side space being provided on one side of the cooking chamber and the rear space and the side space partially overlapping in the corner space.

[0073] In addition, a lateral support member that forms a wall blocking the side space and the exhaust passage from each other may be provided between the side space and the rear fan assembly.

[0074] In addition, discharge holes for opening the corner space toward the exhaust passage may be defined in the lateral support member.

[0075] In addition, the cooking appliance of the present disclosure may further include a lid that is coupled to the lateral support member to close the discharge holes.

[0076] In addition, the flow passage defining member may further include an extension plate that forms a wall blocking the first suction hole and the first discharge hole from each other.

[0077] In addition, the extension plate may be provided above the rear fan assembly.

[0078] In addition, the extension plate may be provided between the rear fan assembly and the corner fan assembly in the lateral direction.

[0079] In addition, the rear fan assembly may be provided between the extension plate and the first flow passage plate in the lateral direction.

[0080] In addition, a fastening plate may connect the first flow passage plate and the extension plate to each other.

[0081] In addition, the first flow passage plate and the extension plate may extend upward from the fastening plate.

[0082] In addition, the second flow passage plate may extend downward from the extension plate.

[0083] Technical effects

[0084] The cooking appliance of the present disclosure is configured such that a blower for providing a fume extraction function is provided at the rear of the cavity instead of above the cavity, thereby suppressing an increase in the length of the cooking appliance in the vertical direction and simultaneously providing a fume extraction function.

[0085] In addition, according to the present disclosure, the blower may be provided in a rear space that is a space for ensuring a space for installing a convection module or the like, instead of in an upper space and a side space defined inside the main body, thereby reducing the vertical length of the cooking appliance and effectively suppressing an increase in the vertical and lateral lengths of the cooking appliance, thereby effectively suppressing an increase in the vertical and lateral lengths of the cooking appliance and simultaneously providing a fume extraction function with improved performance.

[0086] In addition, the cooking appliance of the present disclosure employs a structure in which the blower is provided in a rear space that is connected to an exhaust hole and aligned with the exhaust hole in a straight line, thereby minimizing air flow loss inside the cooking appliance, and thus further improving the cooking gas removal performance.

[0087] In addition, in the cooking appliance of the present disclosure, the exhaust gas flow path defined by the flow path defining member can smoothly induce the exhaust gas flow while reducing the resistance of the flow path around the exhaust hole, thereby effectively improving the cooking gas discharge performance.

[0088] In addition, according to the present disclosure, the force provided by the suction of the fan assembly can be applied to the electronic / electrical component chamber through the connecting flow path, allowing the air flow in the electronic / electrical component chamber to proceed more smoothly, so that the electronic / electrical components provided in the electronic / electrical component chamber can be cooled more effectively.

[0089] In addition, the cooking appliance of the present disclosure allows the air introduced into the electronic / electrical component chamber to flow from the electronic / electrical component chamber into the fan assembly through the connecting flow path, thereby effectively increasing the suction flow rate of the fan assembly, and thus providing more improved cooking gas removal performance.

[0090] In addition, according to the present disclosure, the extension plate that divides the side space into upper and lower parts can increase the total size of the exhaust space, thereby effectively increasing the size of the flow path required for the air flow discharged to the exhaust hole through the exhaust space.

[0091] In addition, according to the present disclosure, since the extension plate vertically divides the side space, each of the space related to gas discharge and the space related to air intake can be ensured to have a sufficient size required for inhalation or discharge. Therefore, the cooking appliance of the present embodiment can provide cooking gas removal performance equal to or higher than that of a conventional cooking appliance having a similar cooking ability while having a total size smaller than that of a conventional cooking appliance having a similar cooking ability.

[0092] Furthermore, the cooking appliance of the present disclosure is configured to allow both the steam and gas discharged from the cooking chamber and the cooking gas sucked by the blower to be discharged through the common exhaust hole, thereby effectively increasing the area of the exhaust hole for gas discharge, and thus discharging the cooking gas more smoothly through the exhaust hole.

[0093] Furthermore, the cooking appliance of the present disclosure may include an exhaust duct formed in a structure whose vertical length decreases as the exhaust duct extends rearward, thereby effectively suppressing an increase in flow resistance caused by the exhaust duct while smoothly discharging the steam and gas discharged from the cooking chamber to the outside of the cooking appliance.

[0094] Furthermore, the cooking appliance of the present disclosure allows the exhaust duct to be detachably coupled to the duct bracket joined to the cavity, thereby allowing the exhaust duct to be easily and quickly removed from the cavity as needed and suppressing the occurrence of cavity damage that may occur during the process of disassembling and reassembling the exhaust duct.

[0095] In addition, the cooking appliance of the present disclosure includes a rear support member that serves to stably maintain the posture of the cavity, so that the cavity does not tip backward during the assembly of the cooking appliance, thereby enabling the assembly of the cooking appliance to be conveniently carried out in a relatively stable environment and suppressing the occurrence of various safety accidents that may occur due to the tipping of the cavity during the assembly of the cooking appliance.

[0096] Furthermore, since the rear support member installed at the rear side of the cavity stably supports the rear plate and the bottom plate on the cavity, the cooking appliance of the present disclosure can effectively improve the structural stability of the cooking appliance.

[0097] In addition, the cooking appliance of the present disclosure maintains the interval between the cavity and the rear plate via the rear support member, so that sufficient space required for air flow in the rear space can be ensured, thereby effectively increasing the suction flow rate.

[0098] In addition, the cooking appliance of the present disclosure includes a shielding member that shields the lower electronic / electrical component chamber while being located at the top of the lower electronic / electrical component chamber, thereby allowing air to smoothly flow into the lower electronic / electrical component chamber and at the same time significantly reducing the risk of fire spread due to flames generated inside the cooking appliance.

[0099] In addition, the cooking appliance of the present disclosure includes a lamp cover that covers the lamp while being located on top of the lamp, thereby achieving the purpose of reducing the vertical length of the cooking appliance and protecting the lamp from oil vapor and heat.

[0100] In addition, the lamp cover according to the present disclosure is configured such that its vertical length decreases as the lamp cover extends toward the rear side, so that the lamp can be effectively protected from oil vapor and heat, and at the same time the increase in flow resistance caused by the lamp cover can be effectively suppressed.

[0101] In addition, according to the present disclosure, the simple operation of removing the ventilation grille and the on / off cover allows the user to access the lamp, thereby enabling the maintenance and repair of the lamp to be carried out in a simple and quick manner. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0102] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a cooking appliance according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0103] Figure 2 is shown as Figure 1 a view showing an open state of the cooking chamber of the cooking appliance shown.

[0104] Figure 3 is shown as Figure 1 a bottom view showing the bottom surface of the cooking appliance shown.

[0105] Figure 4is a rear perspective view showing a state in which a cabinet is removed from a cooking appliance as shown in Figure 1 .

[0106] Figure 5 And Figure 6 is a rear perspective view showing a state in which a rear plate is removed from a cooking appliance as shown in Figure 4 .

[0107] Figure 7 is a rear view of a cooking appliance as shown in Figure 6 according to an embodiment.

[0108] Figure 8 is a perspective view showing a rear fan assembly separated from a cooking appliance as shown in Figure 6 .

[0109] Figure 9 is a perspective view showing a corner fan assembly separated from a cooking appliance as shown in Figure 6 .

[0110] Figure 10 is a rear perspective view showing a flow path defining member separated from a cooking appliance as shown in Figure 6 .

[0111] Figure 11 is a rear perspective view of a cooking appliance to which another example of a flow path defining member is applied.

[0112] Figure 12 is a rear perspective view showing a flow path defining member separated from a cooking appliance as shown in Figure 11 .

[0113] Figure 13 is a rear view showing an air flow state in a cooking appliance according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0114] Figure 14 is a rear perspective view showing a first state of a cooking appliance according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0115] Figure 15 is a view showing Figure 14 an air flow state in a cooking appliance as shown.

[0116] Figure 16 is a rear perspective view showing a second state of a cooking appliance according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0117] Figure 17 is a view showing Figure 16 an air flow state in a cooking appliance as shown.

[0118] Figure 18It is a rear perspective view showing a third state of a cooking appliance according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0119] Figure 19 It is a view showing Figure 18 the air flow state in the cooking appliance shown.

[0120] Figure 20 It is an enlarged view showing a corner fan assembly and its surroundings.

[0121] Figure 21 It is a rear perspective view showing a support member separated from the cooking appliance as Figure 20 shown.

[0122] Figure 22 It is a rear perspective view showing a part of a cooking appliance to which another example of a support member is applied.

[0123] Figure 23 It is a rear perspective view showing a support member separated from the cooking appliance as Figure 22 shown.

[0124] Figure 24 It is a view showing the state in which outside air is introduced into the electronic / electrical component chamber through a cold air inlet.

[0125] Figures 25 to 27 It is a view showing the flow state of air flowing into the electronic / electrical component chamber.

[0126] Figure 28 It is a view showing the flow state of air introduced from an upper corner space to a lower corner space through a connecting flow path.

[0127] Figure 29 It is a rear perspective view showing a part of a cooking appliance to which another example of a shielding member is applied.

[0128] Figure 30 It is a rear perspective view showing each of the intake state and the exhaust state of a cooking appliance according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0129] Figure 31 It is a view showing Figure 30 the air flow state inside the cooking appliance shown.

[0130] Figure 32 It is a magnified plan view of the surroundings around a common exhaust hole as Figure 30 shown.

[0131] Figure 33 It is an enlarged view of an exhaust duct and its surroundings.

[0132] Figure 34 It is a side sectional view of an exhaust duct.

[0133] Figure 35 It is a plan view showing the state where the pipe support is installed on the upper surface of the cavity.

[0134] Figure 36 It is a view showing the state where the exhaust pipe is installed at the pipe support.

[0135] Figure 37 It is an enlarged view showing the lamp shade and its surroundings.

[0136] Figure 38 It is Figure 37 the top view of the lamp shade shown.

[0137] Figure 39 It is a rear perspective view of a cooking appliance showing another example of applying the lamp shade.

[0138] Figure 40 It is showing from as Figure 39 the perspective view of the lamp shade separated from the cooking appliance shown.

[0139] Figure 41 It is showing as Figure 40 the exploded perspective view of the exploded state of the lamp shade shown.

[0140] Figure 42 It is an exploded perspective view showing the exploded state of the ventilation grille and the lamp shade.

[0141] Figure 43 It is a rear perspective view showing the state where the fan assembly has been removed from the cooking appliance according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0142] Figure 44 It is showing from the cooking appliance separated as Figure 43 the rear perspective view of the rear support member shown.

[0143] Figure 45 It is a side view showing the connection state between the cavity and the rear support member.

[0144] Figure 46 It is showing as Figure 45 the enlarged bottom perspective view of the connection part between the cavity and the rear support member shown.

[0145] Figure 47 It is a side view showing the state where the rear plate is connected to the rear support member as Figure 45 shown.

[0146] Figure 48 It is a side sectional view showing the connection structure between the cavity, the rear support member, and the rear plate.

[0147] Figure 49It is a rear perspective view showing the state where the cabinet is removed from the cooking appliance according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0148] Figure 50 It is a rear perspective view showing the state where the cabinet is removed from the cooking appliance according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0149] Figure 51 It is a rear perspective view showing the state where the cabinet is removed from the cooking appliance according to the fourth embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Embodiments

[0150] The above objects, features, and advantages will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Therefore, those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains will be able to easily implement the technical concept of the present disclosure. When describing the present disclosure, when it is determined that the gist of the present disclosure may be unnecessarily unclear, the detailed description of the known technology related to the present disclosure will be omitted. Hereinafter, the preferred embodiments according to the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the same reference numerals are used to denote the same or similar components.

[0151] Although first, second, etc. are used to describe various components, these components are not limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one component from another, and it is obvious that, unless there is a particularly contrary description, the first component may be the second component.

[0152] The present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below. However, various changes can be applied to it, and the present disclosure can be implemented in various different forms. However, these embodiments are provided to make the present disclosure complete, and the scope of the present disclosure is fully known to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but it should be understood that the present disclosure includes all changes, equivalents, and substitutes included in the technical spirit and scope of the present disclosure, as well as including replacing the configuration of one embodiment with the configuration of another embodiment and adding the configuration of another embodiment to the configuration of one embodiment.

[0153] The accompanying drawings are only presented to make it easy for those skilled in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed in the present disclosure, and the technical spirit disclosed in the present disclosure is not limited by the accompanying drawings, and it should be understood that all changes, equivalents, and substitutes included in the spirit and technical scope of the present disclosure are included in the present disclosure. In the accompanying drawings, for ease of understanding, etc., the components may be represented in exaggerated or reduced sizes. However, the scope of protection of the present disclosure should not be limited thereto.

[0154] The terms used herein are for describing particular embodiments or implementations only and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. Further, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular expression of a component includes its plural expression. In the present disclosure, terms such as "comprising", "consisting of", etc. are intended to indicate the presence of the features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the present disclosure. That is, it should be understood that terms such as "comprising" and "consisting of" in the present disclosure do not exclude the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0155] Terms including ordinal numbers (such as first and second) may be used to describe various components, but the components are not limited by the terms. These terms are only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another.

[0156] When referring to a part being "connected" or "coupled" to another part, it should be understood that one part may be directly connected or coupled to another part, or there may be another part disposed therebetween. On the other hand, when stating that a component is "directly connected" or "directly coupled" to another component, it should be understood that there is no other component therebetween.

[0157] When referring to a component being "above" or "below" another component, it should be understood that there may or may not be another component therebetween.

[0158] Unless otherwise defined, all terms including technical terms and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present inventive concept pertains. It will be further understood that terms such as those defined in a common dictionary should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant field and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless clearly so defined herein.

[0159] In a state where the cooking appliance is placed on the floor, the side where the door is mounted around the center of the cooking appliance is defined as the front side. Thus, when the door is opened, the cooking target enters the cavity of the cooking appliance in the backward direction. For convenience, the front-back direction may be referred to as the first direction. In this regard, the front side may be referred to as one side in the first direction, and the rear side may be referred to as the other side in the first direction.

[0160] In addition, the direction of gravity may be defined as the downward direction, and the direction opposite to the direction of gravity may be defined as the upward direction.

[0161] In addition, the horizontal direction orthogonal to the front-rear direction of the cooking appliance, that is, the width direction of the cooking appliance in the front view of the door of the cooking appliance, may be referred to as the left-right direction. For convenience, the left-right direction may be referred to as the second direction. Then, the right side may be referred to as one side in the second direction, and the left side may be referred to as the other side in the second direction.

[0162] In addition, the width direction of the cooking appliance may be referred to as the lateral direction. Then, the right side may be referred to as one side in the lateral direction, and the left side may be referred to as the other side in the lateral direction.

[0163] In addition, the above-mentioned vertical direction may be referred to as the third direction. Then, the upper side may be referred to as one side in the third direction, and the lower side may be referred to as the other side in the third direction.

[0164] The front-rear direction and the left-right direction, that is, the first direction and the second direction, may be the first horizontal direction and the second horizontal direction.

[0165] Throughout this disclosure, unless otherwise specified, "A and / or B" means A, B, or A and B, and unless otherwise specified, "C to D" means C (inclusive) to D (inclusive).

[0166] [Overall Structure of Cooking Appliance]

[0167] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a cooking appliance according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 2 is as shown Figure 1 a view showing an open state of the cooking chamber of the cooking appliance shown. In addition, Figure 3 is as shown Figure 1 a bottom view showing the bottom surface of the cooking appliance shown, and Figure 4 is a rear perspective view showing a state where the cabinet is removed from the cooking appliance as shown Figure 1 shown.

[0168] Referring to Figures 1 to 4 , a cooking appliance according to an embodiment of the present disclosure has an appearance defined by a main body 10. The main body 10 may be provided in a shape including a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape and may be made of a material having a predetermined strength to protect a plurality of components installed in the internal space defined therein. The main body 10 may include a cavity 11, a cabinet 13, and a bottom plate 14.

[0169] The cavity 11 may form an internal framework of the main body 10. The cavity 11 may be formed in the form of a hexahedron having an open front surface. A cooking chamber 10a may be formed inside the cavity 11. The cooking chamber 10a may be formed in a shape corresponding to the internal shape of the cavity 11, that is, a hexahedron shape having an open front surface.

[0170] The cooking chamber 10a may be formed in a hexahedral shape with an open front surface. While the cooking chamber 10a is shielded, cooking can be performed while the internal space of the cooking chamber 10a is heated. That is, in the cooking appliance, the internal space of the cooking chamber 10a is the space for basically cooking food.

[0171] The front plate 12 may be provided in front of the cavity 11. The front plate 12 may define the front appearance of the main body 10 in front of the cavity 11. In an example, the front plate 12 may be provided in the form of a hollow metal plate.

[0172] The cabinet 13 may define the appearance of the main body 10 while being provided outside the cavity 11. The cabinet 13 may cover the cavity 11 at the upper and side portions of the cavity 11 and may define the appearance of the main body 10.

[0173] The bottom plate 14 may be provided below the cavity 11. The bottom plate 14 may constitute the bottom surface of the cooking appliance and may cover the cavity 11 below the cavity 11.

[0174] In addition, the main body 10 may further include a rear plate 15. The rear plate 15 may be provided at the rear side of the cavity 11. The rear plate 15 may constitute the rear surface of the cooking appliance and may cover the cavity 11 while being provided at the rear portion of the cavity 11.

[0175] The rear plate 15 may be integrally formed with the cabinet 13 or may be separately formed from the cabinet 13.

[0176] The door 20 for selectively opening and closing the cooking chamber 10a may be pivotally provided on the front surface of the main body 10. The door 20 may open and close the cooking chamber 10a in a side-swing manner, wherein the other side in the lateral direction of the door 20 pivots in the left or right direction around one side in the lateral direction of the door 20.

[0177] The door 20 may generally be formed in a hexahedral shape with a predetermined thickness. In addition, a hinge may be installed between the main body 10 and the door 20. The hinge may be provided on one side in the lateral direction of the main body 10 to pivotally connect one side in the lateral direction of the door 20 to the main body 10. The door 20 may be pivotally connected to the hinge while being provided on the front surface of the main body 10 and may open and close the cooking chamber 10a when pivoting around the hinge.

[0178] In addition, a cooking chamber heat source for heating the inside of the cooking chamber 10a is provided inside the main body 10. The cooking chamber heat source may be implemented in one type or may be implemented in two or more types.

[0179] In the present embodiment, an example in which the heat source of the cooking chamber includes a magnetron capable of supplying a high-frequency heat source to the interior of the cooking chamber 10a will be described. In this regard, the magnetron may be installed inside the main body 10 and may be installed on the upper or lower side of the cooking chamber 10a.

[0180] In addition, the electronic / electrical component chambers 10b, 10c, and 10d on the upper surface or side surface of the cooking chamber 10a and in the main body 10 may be defined inside the main body 10. In the present embodiment, it is shown that the magnetron and the electronic / electrical component chambers 10b, 10c, and 10d are provided on the side surface of the cooking chamber 10a. Electronic components such as a magnetron and a high-voltage transformer may be installed in the electronic / electrical component chambers 10b, 10c, and 10d.

[0181] In addition, the control panel 25 may be provided on the front side of the main body 10. In one example, the control panel 25 may be provided on the door 20.

[0182] The control panel 25 may be formed in a hexahedral shape having a predetermined internal space defined therein, and an input unit for inputting a manipulation signal for operating the cooking appliance by the user may be provided on the front surface of the control panel 25. A plurality of manipulation switches are provided in the input unit, and the user can directly input an operation signal thereon.

[0183] In another example, the control panel 25 may be provided in front of the cavity 11. The control panel 25 may be provided in an area that does not overlap with the cooking chamber 10a in the front-rear direction. For example, the electronic / electrical component chambers 10b, 10c, and 10d may be provided on the side surface of the cooking chamber 10a, and the control panel 25 may be provided on the front side of the electronic / electrical component chambers 10b, 10c, and 10d.

[0184] In addition, the cooking appliance of the present embodiment may further include blowers 100 and 200. In addition, the main body 10 may be provided with an air intake hole 1 and exhaust holes 2, 3, and 4.

[0185] The blowers 100 and 200 may be accommodated in the cooking appliance, and may suck cooking gas through the air intake hole 1 and discharge the sucked cooking gas to the outside of the cooking appliance through the exhaust holes 2, 3, and 4.

[0186] [Air intake hole, exhaust hole, space]

[0187] Figure 5 and Figure 6 is a rear perspective view showing a state in which the rear plate is removed from the cooking appliance as shown in Figure 4 and Figure 7 is a rear view of the cooking appliance as shown in Figure 6 ​

[0188] Reference Figures 3 to 7 As shown in Figures 3 to 7 , the air intake hole 1 can be provided in the bottom surface of the cooking appliance. In one example, the air intake hole 1 can be defined in the bottom plate 14. The air intake hole 1 can form a passage for introducing cooking gas into the cooking appliance, such that the passage is defined at the lower end of the cooking appliance. In the present embodiment, a pair of air intake holes 1 are shown provided below the blowers 100 and 200.

[0189] The bottom plate 14 can be arranged to be spaced downward from the bottom surface of the cavity 11 by a predetermined distance. Thus, a lower space (not denoted by a reference numeral) can be defined between the bottom surface of the cavity 11 and the bottom plate 14. Due to the lower space formed as above, a space required for introducing external air into the cooking appliance through the air intake hole 1 can be provided above the air intake hole 1.

[0190] The exhaust holes 2, 3, and 4 can be defined in the upper surface of the cooking appliance. The exhaust holes 2, 3, and 4 can form a passage defined in the upper part of the cooking appliance for discharging the cooking gas sucked into the cooking appliance to the outside of the cooking appliance.

[0191] In the present embodiment, a first exhaust hole 2, a second exhaust hole 3, and a third exhaust hole 4 are shown provided in the cooking appliance.

[0192] The first exhaust hole 2 and the second exhaust hole 3 can be provided on the upper surface of the main body 10. The first exhaust hole 2 and the second exhaust hole 3 can form a passage defined at the upper end of the cooking appliance to discharge the cooking gas sucked into the cooking appliance to the outside of the cooking appliance.

[0193] In one example, the first exhaust hole 2 and the second exhaust hole 3 can be defined in the upper surface of the cabinet 13. The first exhaust hole 2 and the second exhaust hole 3 can be formed in the upper surface of the cabinet 13 to extend vertically through the cabinet 13.

[0194] The first exhaust hole 2 can be provided in the rear part of the upper surface of the main body 10. Additionally, the second exhaust hole 3 can be provided on the front side of the upper surface of the main body 10. That is, the second exhaust hole 3 can be provided on the side adjacent to the door 20 and can be arranged closer to the front side than the first exhaust hole 2.

[0195] The first exhaust hole 2 can form a passage for discharging the cooking gas sucked into the cooking appliance to the outside. The second exhaust hole 3 can form a passage for discharging the cooking gas sucked into the cooking appliance to the indoor space.

[0196] In one example, the first exhaust hole 2 can be provided in a region that vertically overlaps with the upper cabinet that houses the cooking appliance. Additionally, the second exhaust hole 3 can be provided at a position that protrudes forward beyond the upper cabinet.

[0197] In addition, the first exhaust holes 2 may be disposed substantially at the center in the lateral direction of the main body 10. In addition, a plurality of second exhaust holes 3 may be disposed in the lateral direction and may be positioned at the front side of the upper surface of the main body 10.

[0198] The first exhaust holes 2 disposed substantially at the center in the lateral direction of the main body 10 as described above may be connected to an exhaust duct connected to the outside. The plurality of second exhaust holes 3 arranged laterally may discharge the cooking gas from a position in front of the upper cabinet to a position above the cooking appliance. In this regard, the cooking gas may be discharged through the second exhaust holes 3 in a state where it is filtered inside the cooking appliance.

[0199] Similar to the first exhaust holes 2, the third exhaust holes 4 may constitute a passage for discharging the cooking gas sucked into the cooking appliance to the outside. The third exhaust holes 4 may be arranged to face the wall surface on which the cooking appliance is mounted. The third exhaust holes 4 may be mounted on the rear surface of the main body and may be connected to an exhaust duct connected to the outside.

[0200] The third exhaust holes 4 may be defined in the rear surface of the cooking appliance and may be disposed above the blowers 100 and 200. In one example, the third exhaust holes 4 may be defined in the rear plate 15. The third exhaust holes 4 may be formed to extend through the rear plate 15 in the front-rear direction.

[0201] A space may be formed in the main body 10. The space may be disposed between the cavity 11 and the cabinet 13.

[0202] The space may be divided into a side space 10e and a rear space 10f. The side space 10e may be disposed on each of two opposite sides in the lateral direction of the cavity 11. In addition, the rear space 10f may be disposed on the rear side of the cavity 11.

[0203] For example, each side space 10e may be a space defined between each side surface of the cavity 11 and each side surface of the cabinet 13. In addition, the rear space 10f may be a space defined between the rear surface of the cavity 11 and the rear plate 15.

[0204] The side space 10e and the rear space 10f may communicate with the lower space. The side space 10e and the rear space 10f may be connected to the lower space in the vertical direction or may be connected to the lower space in the lateral direction. The air intake hole 1 may communicate with the lower space. The side space 10e and the rear space 10f may communicate with the air intake hole 1 through the lower space.

[0205] The electronic / electrical component chambers 10b, 10c, and 10d may be provided in one of the side spaces 10e in the side space. In the present embodiment, an example is shown in which the electronic / electrical component chambers 10b, 10c, and 10d are provided in the side space provided behind the control panel 25.

[0206] In addition, a space may be defined inside the main body 10 on the side surface and the rear side of the cavity 11. This space may be the rear space 10f, the side space 10e, or may be the electronic / electrical component chambers 10b, 10c, and 10d.

[0207] For example, this space may be provided in the rear corner portion inside the main body 10. Hereinafter, the space provided behind the electronic / electrical component chambers 10b, 10c, and 10d is referred to as the corner space 10e. The rear space 10f and the side space 10e, more specifically, the rear space 10f and the electronic / electrical component chambers 10b, 10c, and 10d may communicate with each other through the corner space 10e.

[0208] The blowers 100 and 200 may be provided inside the main body 10. More specifically, the blowers 100 and 200 may be provided in the space, that is, the space between the cavity 11 and the casing 13. The blowers 100 and 200 may include at least one fan assembly 100 and 200.

[0209] The fan assemblies 100 and 200 may generate an air flow for sucking the cooking gas to the outside of the cooking appliance and discharging the cooking gas to the outside of the cooking appliance. The fan assemblies 100 and 200 may introduce the cooking gas into the main body 10 through the air intake hole 1 and discharge the introduced cooking gas out of the main body through the exhaust holes 2, 3, and 4.

[0210] At least one of the fan assemblies 100 and 200 provided in the blowers 100 and 200 may be provided in the rear space 10f. Therefore, the cooking gas introduced into the main body 10 through the air intake hole 1 may flow through the rear space 10f and then be discharged through the first exhaust hole 2 or the second exhaust hole 3. The detailed setting structure of the fan assemblies 100 and 200 will be described later.

[0211] In addition, an upper space 10i may be further provided inside the main body 10. The upper space 10i may be provided above the cavity 11.

[0212] For example, the upper space 10i may be defined between the upper surface of the cavity 11 and the upper surface of the casing 13. The upper space 10i may communicate with the rear space 10f.

[0213] That is, the air introduced into the rear space 10f can flow through the upper space 10i and be discharged to the outside of the cooking appliance through the exhaust holes 2, 3, and 4. In addition, the air introduced into the side space 10e can also flow through the rear space 10f and the upper space 10i, and can be discharged to the outside of the cooking appliance through the exhaust holes 2, 3, and 4.

[0214] [Fan assembly]

[0215] Figure 8 is a perspective view showing a rear fan assembly separated from the Figure 6 cooking appliance shown, Figure 9 is a perspective view showing a corner fan assembly separated from the Figure 6 cooking appliance shown.

[0216] Referring to Figure 1 and Figures 7 to 8 , the blowers 100 and 200 may include at least one fan assembly 100 and 200. In one example, the blowers 100 and 200 may include a rear fan assembly 100.

[0217] The rear fan assembly 100 may include a fan housing 110, an impeller 120, and a fan motor.

[0218] The fan housing 110 forms the appearance of the rear fan assembly 100 and houses the impeller 120 therein. A first suction hole 112 may be formed on the side of the fan housing 110. The first suction hole 112 may constitute a passage required for sucking the air outside the rear fan assembly 100 into the impeller 120 inside the fan housing 110.

[0219] In the present embodiment, the fan housing 110 is shown as being formed in a shape including a horizontally extending cylindrical shape, with both opposite sides of the fan housing open, and each of the two opposite open sides of the fan housing 110 may be provided with the first suction hole 112.

[0220] A receiving space for housing the impeller 120 may be formed inside the fan housing 110.

[0221] This receiving space for housing the impeller 120 may be formed inside the fan housing 110. In addition, the inner circumferential surface of the fan housing 110 defining the receiving space may be formed as a curved surface surrounding the outer circumferential surface of the impeller 120.

[0222] A first discharge hole 114 may be provided on the upper side of the fan housing 110. The first discharge hole 114 constitutes a passage through which the air sucked into the receiving space housing the impeller 120 is discharged to the outside of the blowers 100 and 200.

[0223] The first discharge hole 114 may be formed to penetrate the fan housing 110 in the vertical direction. Accordingly, the air sucked into the inside of the fan housing 110 from the side in the transverse direction through the first suction hole 112 may be discharged to a position above the fan housing 110 through the first discharge hole 114.

[0224] The impeller 120 is configured to rotate about an axis extending in the transverse direction. A space into which air sucked through the side portion of the impeller 120 flows is formed inside the impeller 120.

[0225] The impeller 120 may be connected to the rotating shaft of the fan motor. The rotating shaft of the fan motor rotates about an axis extending in the transverse direction, and the impeller 120 connected to the rotating shaft of the fan motor may rotate together with the rotating shaft of the fan motor about an axis extending in the transverse direction.

[0226] The rear fan assembly 100 configured as described above may be disposed inside the main body 10 and may be disposed in at least one of the rear space 10f and the corner space 10e. In the present embodiment, the rear fan assembly 100 is shown disposed in the rear space 10f.

[0227] In one example, the rear fan assembly 100 may be provided in a form including a pair of impellers 120. The rear fan assembly 100 may be provided in a form in which the fan motor is disposed between a pair of impellers 120 disposed in the transverse direction.

[0228] In the rear fan assembly 100, the fan motor may rotate a pair of impellers 120 disposed on two opposite sides in its transverse direction together. Each impeller 120 may be accommodated in each of a pair of fan housings 110 disposed on two opposite sides in the transverse direction of the fan motor.

[0229] As described above, the rear fan assembly 100 including one fan motor, a pair of impellers 120, and the fan housing 110 may suck air through a pair of first suction holes 112 disposed on two opposite sides in the transverse direction of the rear fan assembly 100, and discharge the air through a pair of first discharge holes 114 disposed in the upper surface of the rear fan assembly 100 and extending in the transverse direction.

[0230] The rear fan assembly 100 may be provided in a form in which a pair of impellers 120 are respectively disposed on two opposite sides in the transverse direction of the fan motor, and a pair of fan housings 110 are respectively disposed on two opposite sides in the transverse direction of the fan motor. Hereinafter, the assembly of the impeller 120 and the fan housing 110 will be referred to as a “fan module”. In this regard, the rear fan assembly 100 may be provided in a form in which a pair of fan modules are connected to two opposite sides in the transverse direction of the fan motor.

[0231] The rear fan assembly 100 may be disposed in the rear space 10f, i.e., the space defined between the rear surface of the cavity 11 and the rear plate 15. The rear fan assembly 100 may be disposed in a space communicating with the air intake hole 110 and the exhaust holes 2, 3, and 4, and may suck air through the air intake hole 110 and discharge air toward the exhaust holes 2, 3, and 4.

[0232] In addition, the rear fan assembly 100 may be disposed at the center in the lateral direction of the rear space 10f. That is, the rear fan assembly 100 may be disposed substantially at the center of the rear side inside the cooking appliance.

[0233] According to the present embodiment, the first exhaust hole 2 may be substantially disposed at the center in the lateral direction of the main body 10, may be defined in the upper surface of the cabinet 13, and may be located at a position closer to its rear end. In addition, the first exhaust hole 2 may be disposed in a region vertically overlapping with the fan assemblies 100 and 200. That is, the first exhaust hole 2 may be disposed in a region vertically overlapping with the rear space 10a and the rear fan assembly 100.

[0234] In addition, the third exhaust hole 4 may be disposed substantially at the center in the lateral direction of the main body 10, may be disposed in the rear plate 15 and at a position closer to the upper end of the rear plate 15. That is, the third exhaust hole 4 may be disposed in the rear surface of the main body 10, but may be disposed at a position adjacent to the first exhaust hole 2.

[0235] In the cooking appliance according to the present embodiment, the first exhaust hole 2, the third exhaust hole 4, and the rear fan assembly 100 may all be disposed in the rear space 10f. The first exhaust hole 2 and the third exhaust hole 4, particularly the first exhaust hole 2, may be aligned with the rear fan assembly 100 in the vertical direction along the rear space 10f.

[0236] That is, the rear fan assembly 100, the rear space 10f, the first exhaust hole 2, and the third exhaust hole 4 may overlap with each other in the vertical direction. Preferably, the rear fan assembly 100, the rear space 10f, the first exhaust hole 2, and the third exhaust hole 4 may be aligned with each other in a line along the vertical direction.

[0237] Therefore, the air flow performed by the operation of the rear fan assembly 100 may have a linear direction same as the direction in which the rear fan assembly 100, the rear space 10f, the first exhaust hole 2, and the third exhaust hole 4 are aligned with each other.

[0238] When the air flows in the linear direction as described above, the resistance to the air flow is reduced, so that the air flow can proceed more smoothly. Therefore, the air sucking and discharging performance of the rear fan assembly 100 can be improved, and accordingly, the cooking gas removing performance of the cooking appliance can be improved.

[0239] The blowers 100 and 200 of this embodiment may include a plurality of fan assemblies 100 and 200 arranged in the lateral direction. In one example, the blowers 100 and 200 may further include corner fan assemblies 200, as Figure 7 and Figure 9 shown. The rear fan assemblies 100 and the corner fan assemblies 200 may be arranged laterally and disposed in the rear space 10f.

[0240] The corner fan assemblies 200 may be provided in the form of a single fan module connected to a fan motor. In one example, the corner fan assemblies 200 may be arranged in a form where a single fan module is connected to the lower side of the fan motor.

[0241] In the corner fan assemblies 200, the impeller 220 may rotate about a vertical axis. The second suction hole 212 may be provided in the lower surface of the fan housing 210, and the second discharge hole 224 may be provided at the side surface of the fan housing 210.

[0242] That is, the corner fan assemblies 200 may be arranged in a form similar to a form in which approximately half of the rear fan assemblies 100 are erected in the vertical direction.

[0243] The rear fan assemblies 100 and the corner fan assemblies 200 may be provided together in the rear space 10f. In one example, the rear fan assemblies 100 and the corner fan assemblies 200 may be arranged laterally and disposed in the rear space 10f.

[0244] For example, the corner fan assemblies 200 may be disposed adjacent to the electronic / electrical component chambers 10b, 10c, and 10d on one side of the main body, and the rear fan assemblies 100 may be disposed adjacent to the side space 10e on the other side of the main body.

[0245] At least a part of the corner fan assemblies 200 may be disposed in the corner space 10e. In one example, most of the area of the corner fan assemblies 200 may be disposed in the corner space 10e, and the second suction hole 212 of the corner fan assemblies 200 may also be disposed in the corner space 10e. The corner fan assemblies 200 may be configured to be spaced apart from the rear fan assemblies 100 by a predetermined distance in the lateral direction.

[0246] According to this embodiment, the blowers 100 and 200 may include the rear fan assemblies 100 and the corner fan assemblies 200 together, rather than including only a plurality of rear fan assemblies 100.

[0247] Since both the rear fan assemblies 100 and the corner fan assemblies 200 are applied to the blowers 100 and 200, the total lateral length of the blowers 100 and 200 can be reduced compared to the case where the blowers 100 and 200 include only a plurality of rear fan assemblies 100.

[0248] For example, the lateral length of the blowers 100 and 200 including a rear fan assembly 100 and a corner fan assembly 200 can be measured to be shorter than that of the blower 200 including a pair of rear fan assemblies 100 arranged in the lateral direction.

[0249] The corner fan assembly 200 can include only one of the fan modules included in the rear fan assembly 100 and can include a fan module erected in the vertical direction. Therefore, the lateral length of the corner fan assembly 200 is necessarily shorter than that of the rear fan assembly 100.

[0250] In view of this configuration, the blowers 100 and 200 of the present embodiment including the corner fan assembly 200 can be set to a much smaller size than the rear fan assembly 100 or the blower including only the rear fan assembly 100.

[0251] When this type of blower 100 or 200 is applied to a cooking appliance, the size of the cooking appliance, particularly the lateral length of the cooking appliance, can be reduced as the space occupied by the blower 100 or 200 decreases.

[0252] In view of this, when the size of the cooking appliance is small such that a plurality of rear fan assemblies 100 are not accommodated inside the cooking appliance, the blowers 100 and 200 of the present embodiment are very suitable for application to the cooking appliance.

[0253] In addition, in the corner fan assembly 200, a second suction hole 212 can be provided on the lower surface of the fan housing 210. Therefore, the second suction hole 212 can be provided at the lowermost end of the corner fan assembly 200 and can be provided at a position very close to the air intake hole 1 provided at the lower end of the cooking appliance.

[0254] In view of the fact that as the distance between the second suction hole 212 and the air intake hole 1 becomes smaller, the suction performance of the fan assembly based on the output of the fan motor can be greatly improved, it can be determined that as the second suction hole 212 of the corner fan assembly 200 is closer to the air intake hole 1, the suction performance of the corner fan assembly 200 can be significantly improved.

[0255] That is to say, the performance of the corner fan assembly 200 may be lower than that of the rear fan assembly 100, but this performance difference may be mostly offset by the performance improvement value obtained due to the reduction in the distance between the second suction hole 212 and the air intake hole 1.

[0256] In view of this fact, it can be evaluated that the blowers 100 and 200 of the present embodiment can provide an effect conducive to the miniaturization of the cooking appliance while providing the same or higher cooking gas removal performance as another type of blower.

[0257] The cooking appliance according to the present embodiment including the blower fans 100 and 200 can provide improved cooking gas removal performance while maintaining a compact size.

[0258] In addition, referring to Figures 5 to 7 , the rear fan assembly 100 and the corner fan assembly 200 can be positioned to overlap the cavity 11 in the front - rear direction. That is, the rear fan assembly 100 and the corner fan assembly 200 can be disposed between the upper surface and the lower surface of the cavity 11 in the vertical direction.

[0259] In order to allow the air introduced into the main body 10 through the air inlet hole 1 to flow smoothly towards the rear fan assembly 100 or the corner fan assembly 200, a certain distance should be ensured between the rear fan assembly 100 and the corner fan assembly 200 and the air inlet hole 1.

[0260] In addition, in order to allow the air discharged from the rear fan assembly 100 and the corner fan assembly 200 to flow smoothly into the upper space 10i, the rear fan assembly 100 and the corner fan assembly 200 are disposed at a height lower than that of the upper space 10i.

[0261] When the rear fan assembly 100 and the corner fan assembly 200 are disposed at a position higher than the upper space 10i, there may be a problem that the passage between the first discharge hole 114 of the rear fan assembly 100 or the second discharge hole 214 of the corner fan assembly 200 and the upper space 10i is too narrow.

[0262] Considering this situation, in the present embodiment, the rear fan assembly 100 and the corner fan assembly 200 are disposed at positions such that the rear fan assembly 100 and the corner fan assembly 200 can be appropriately spaced apart from the air inlet hole 1 and the rear fan assembly 100 and the corner fan assembly 200 can be appropriately spaced apart from the upper space 10i.

[0263] Therefore, the air flow from the air inlet hole 1 to the rear fan assembly 100 and the corner fan assembly 200 and the air flow from the rear fan assembly 100 and the corner fan assembly 200 to the upper space 10i can proceed smoothly.

[0264] In addition, the corner fan assembly 200 can be disposed at a position closer to the air inlet hole 1 than the exhaust holes 2, 3, and 4. Therefore, the second suction hole 212 of the corner fan assembly 200 can be disposed at a position very close to the air inlet hole 1. As a result, compared with the rear fan assembly 100, the suction performance of the corner fan assembly 200 with a relatively small size and low output can be effectively improved.

[0265] [An example of the flow - path defining member]

[0266] Figure 10 It is shown from as Figure 6Rear perspective view of the flow path defining member separated from the cooking appliance shown. Figure 11 Rear perspective view of a cooking appliance showing another example to which the flow path defining member is applied. Figure 12 Shows from as Figure 11 Rear perspective view of the flow path defining member separated from the cooking appliance shown, and Figure 13 Rear view showing the air flow state in the cooking appliance according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0267] Referring to Figures 5 to 7 and Figure 10 , the cooking appliance may include a flow path defining member 30. The flow path defining member 30 is configured to induce the flow of air discharged from the blowers 100, 200.

[0268] The flow path defining member 30 may define an exhaust flow path A inside the cooking appliance. The exhaust flow path A may connect the blowers 100 and 200 with the upper space 10i to each other, and may guide air from at least one of the rear fan assembly 100 and the corner fan assembly 200 to the upper space 10i. The exhaust flow path A may guide the air discharged from the blowers 100 and 200 to flow toward the exhaust holes 2, 3, and 4.

[0269] In one example, the exhaust flow path A may be provided in the rear space 10f. The inlet of the exhaust flow path A may open toward the blowers 100 and 200. For example, the inlet of the exhaust flow path A may open toward the first discharge hole 114 of the rear fan assembly 100 and the second suction hole 214 of the corner fan assembly 200. The outlet of the exhaust flow path A may open toward the upper space 10i.

[0270] The exhaust flow path A may be formed inside the cooking appliance, and may constitute a flow path for guiding the air flow from the first discharge hole 114 of the rear fan assembly 100 to the upper space 10i. In addition, the exhaust flow path A may be formed inside the cooking appliance, and may constitute a flow path for guiding the air flow from the second suction hole 214 of the corner fan assembly 200 to the upper space 10i.

[0271] In one example, at least a part of the exhaust flow path A may be defined by the first flow path plate 31. The first flow path plate 31 may constitute a wall that blocks the first suction hole 112 and the first discharge hole 114 of the rear fan assembly 100.

[0272] The first flow path plate 31 may be disposed in the rear space 10f and may be disposed above the rear fan assembly 100. That is, the first flow path plate 31 may constitute a wall that blocks the first suction hole 112 and the first discharge hole 114 such that the wall is located above the rear fan assembly 100.

[0273] According to the present embodiment, the rear fan assembly 100 and the corner spaces 10g and 10h can be laterally disposed and arranged in the rear space 10f. In the rear space 10f, the first suction holes 112 can be respectively disposed on two lateral sides of the rear fan assembly 100. The first discharge hole 114 is disposed between a pair of first suction holes 112 arranged at a predetermined interval in the lateral direction, and is formed on the upper surface of the rear fan assembly 100.

[0274] In the case where the first suction hole 112 closer to the corners 10g, 10h among the pair of first suction holes 112 is referred to as the left first suction hole 112, the first flow path plate 31 is configured as a wall that blocks the first discharge hole 114 and the right first suction hole 112. The first flow path plate 31 can be disposed around the lateral center of the rear fan assembly 100 at a position closer to the right first suction hole 112, that is, at a position adjacent to the right first suction hole 112.

[0275] Hereinafter, the direction along the lateral direction around the lateral center of the cooking appliance toward the electronic / electrical component chambers 10a, 10c, and 10d will be referred to as the left direction, and the direction toward the side space 10e located on the opposite side thereof will be referred to as the right direction.

[0276] The first flow path plate 31 can form a vertical wall extending upward from the upper surface of the rear fan assembly 100 where the first discharge hole 114 is formed toward the upper space 10i. The first flow path plate 31 can define the right boundary surface of the exhaust flow path A.

[0277] The cooking appliance of the present embodiment may further include an extension plate 18. The extension plate 18 can be provided to block the upper space 10i and the rear space 10f.

[0278] At least a part of the extension plate 18 can be disposed in the rear space 10f. At least a part 18b of the extension plate 18 disposed in the rear space (hereinafter, referred to as the "rear partition part") can be vertically disposed between the rear fan assembly 100 and the upper space 10i. In addition, the rear partition part 18b of the extension plate 18 can be disposed in the front-rear direction between the rear surface of the cavity 11 and the rear plate 15.

[0279] The rear partition part 18b of the extension plate 18 arranged as above covers a part of the rear space 10f while being disposed at a position higher than the position of the rear fan assembly 100, and blocks a part of the rear space 10f and the upper space 10i.

[0280] In the present embodiment, a case where the right region of the rear space 10f and the upper space 10i are blocked from each other via the extension plate 18 is shown.

[0281] The extension plate 18 and the rear fan assembly 100 are arranged at a vertical interval, so a lateral flow path is formed between the extension plate 18 and the rear fan assembly 100. The thus formed lateral channel can connect the right region of the rear space 10f covered by the extension plate 18 and the region defining the exhaust flow path A above the rear fan assembly 100 to each other.

[0282] The first flow path plate 31 can form a vertical wall extending upward from the rear fan assembly 100 toward the extension plate 18. In one example, the first flow path plate 31 can form a vertical wall connecting the upper surface of the rear fan assembly 100 and the side end of the extension plate 18. At least a part of the first flow path plate 31 can protrude upward beyond the extension plate 18.

[0283] As described above, the first flow path plate 31 connected to the extension plate 18 can form a vertical wall that blocks the lateral channel defined between the rear fan assembly 100 and the extension plate 18. That is, the first flow path plate 31 can form a wall that blocks the air flow between the right region of the rear space 10f and the exhaust flow path A, such that the wall is located in the rear space 10f.

[0284] The flow path defining member 30 may also further include a second flow path plate 32. The second flow path plate 32 can form a wall that blocks the first suction hole 112 and the first discharge hole 114 of the rear fan assembly 100 from each other.

[0285] The second flow path plate 32 can be disposed on the left side of the rear fan assembly 100. Therefore, the rear fan assembly 100 can be disposed between the first flow path plate 31 and the second flow path plate 32 in the lateral direction.

[0286] In the lateral direction, the second flow path plate 32 can be disposed between the rear fan assembly 100 and the corner fan assembly 200. The second flow path plate 32 can form a wall that blocks the first suction hole 112 and the first discharge hole 114 from each other, and at the same time forms a wall that blocks the second suction hole 214 of the corner fan assembly 200 and the first suction hole 112 of the rear fan assembly 100 from each other.

[0287] In the corner fan assembly 200, the second suction hole 212 is oriented toward the air intake hole 1, that is, downward. The second suction hole 214 can be arranged to face the rear fan assembly 100, that is, laterally, more specifically, toward the right side, and can be connected to the exhaust flow path A.

[0288] The second flow path plate 32 can be disposed on the right side of the second suction hole 214 to define the lower boundary surface of the exhaust flow path A. The second flow path plate 32 is disposed between the rear fan assembly 100 and the corner fan assembly 200 and forms the lower boundary surface of the exhaust flow path A. In this regard, the lower boundary surface of the exhaust flow path A defined by the second flow path plate 32 can be formed as an inclined surface, where the vertical level changes along the lateral direction.

[0289] According to this embodiment, the second suction hole 214 may be arranged to face the first suction hole 112, and the first suction hole 112 is arranged to face the corner fan assembly 200. The vertical height of the first discharge hole 114 may be higher than the vertical height of the first suction hole 112 and may be higher than the vertical height of the second suction hole 214.

[0290] In one example, the second flow path plate 32 may form an inclined surface that extends laterally from the lower side of the second suction hole 214 toward the upper side of the first suction hole 112. For example, the second flow path plate 32 may extend from one end of the second flow path plate adjacent to the corner fan assembly 200 in the lateral direction and extend laterally upward at an inclination toward the rear fan assembly 100.

[0291] One end of the second flow path plate 32 in the lateral direction may be arranged below the second suction hole 214. For example, the left end of the second flow path plate 32 may be arranged at a vertical height lower than the vertical height of the second suction hole 214.

[0292] In addition, the other end of the second flow path plate 32 in the lateral direction may be arranged at a position above the first suction hole 112. For example, the vertical height of the right end of the second flow path plate 32 may be higher than the vertical height of the first suction hole 112.

[0293] The second flow path plate 32 may form an inclined wall that blocks the first suction hole 112 and the first discharge hole 114 from each other and blocks the first suction hole 112 and the second suction hole 214 from each other. That is, the second flow path plate 32 may form an inclined wall while being arranged between the rear fan assembly 100 and the corner fan assembly 200, and this wall may not only block the first suction hole 112 and the first discharge hole 114 from each other, but also block the first suction hole 112 and the second suction hole 214 from each other.

[0294] Therefore, between the rear fan assembly 100 and the corner fan assembly 200, the air discharged from the first discharge hole 114 does not flow into the first suction hole 112, and the air discharged through the second suction hole 214 does not flow into the first suction hole 112.

[0295] That is, the second flow path plate 32 may form a wall that blocks the air from flowing from the first discharge hole 114 and the second suction hole 214 to the first suction hole 112, such that the wall is located between the rear fan assembly 100 and the corner fan assembly 200.

[0296] According to this embodiment, the exhaust flow path A can be formed on the left side of the first flow path plate 31 and the upper side of the second flow path plate 32. The air intake hole 1 can be provided below the exhaust flow path A. Additionally, in the vertical direction, the first suction hole 112 and the second suction hole 212 can be provided between the air intake hole 1 and the exhaust flow path A, and the first discharge hole 114 and the second suction hole 214 can be provided between the exhaust flow path A and the upper space 10i.

[0297] The first discharge hole 114 and the second suction hole 214 can be connected to the exhaust flow path A. The first discharge hole 114 can be provided to face upward and connected to the exhaust flow path A. The second suction hole 214 can be provided to face laterally and connected to the exhaust flow path A.

[0298] Additionally, the second flow path plate 32 can define a flow path for guiding air to the first suction hole 112.

[0299] In one example, the second flow path plate 32 is provided above the air intake hole 1, and can be provided on the left side and above the first suction hole 112. The second flow path plate 32 can define the left and upper boundaries of the flow path connecting the air intake hole 1 and the first suction hole 112 to each other. Due to the second flow path plate 32 arranged as above, air can be effectively introduced from the left side of the rear fan assembly 100 into the first suction hole 112.

[0300] In one example, the flow path defining member 30 can further include a fastening plate 33. The fastening plate 33 can be installed at the rear fan assembly 100.

[0301] In one example, the fastening plate 33 can be configured such that the first discharge hole 114 opens upward, and can be coupled to the upper surface of the rear fan assembly 100. The fastening plate 33 can be provided above the first suction hole 112. The vertical height of the fastening plate 33 can be higher than the vertical height of each of the second suction hole 212 and the second suction hole 214.

[0302] According to this embodiment, the first flow path plate 31 can be provided in a form extending upward from the fastening plate 33. Additionally, the second flow path plate 32 can be provided in a form extending downward from the fastening plate 33. That is, the upper end of the second flow path plate 32 can be connected to the fastening plate 33.

[0303] The first flow path plate 31 and the second flow path plate 32 connected to the fastening plate 33 can be coupled to the rear fan assembly 100 via the fastening plate 33.

[0304] In addition, the fastening plate 33 can be disposed between the first flow path plate 31 and the second flow path plate 32 to connect the first flow path plate 31 and the second flow path plate 32 to each other. In one example, the flow path defining member 30 can be provided in a form in which the first flow path plate 31, the second flow path plate 32, and the fastening plate 33 are integrally formed with each other.

[0305] In the flow path defining member 30 arranged in this way, the first flow path plate 31 and the second flow path plate 32 do not need to be separately coupled to the rear fan assembly 100, and the first flow path plate 31 and the second flow path plate 32 can be easily and quickly mounted to the fastening plate 33 coupled to the rear fan assembly 100.

[0306] The fastening plate 33 can have a discharge hole (not shown in the drawings) defined therein. The first discharge hole 114 can be exposed to the upper side of the fastening plate 33, that is, the inside of the exhaust flow path A, through the discharge hole.

[0307] In addition, the cooking appliance of the present embodiment can further include a support member 40. The support member 40 is configured to support the corner fan assembly 200. At least a part of the support member 40 can be disposed in the corner spaces 10g and 10h.

[0308] In one example, the support member 40 can include a lateral support 41. The lateral support 41 can be disposed on the lateral side of the corner fan assembly 200. The lateral support 41 can constitute the side surface of the support member 40, more specifically, the right side surface of the support member 40.

[0309] The lateral support 41 is disposed on the lateral side of the corner fan assembly 200 and constitutes a vertical wall covering the corner fan assembly 200. For example, the lateral support 41 can constitute a vertical plane orthogonal to the lateral axis. The lateral support 41 can constitute a wall that blocks the corner fan assembly 200 and the rear fan assembly 100 from each other in the rear space 10a.

[0310] The lateral support 41 can be disposed between the corner fan assembly 200 and the second flow path plate 32. The lateral support 41 can define the left boundary surface of the exhaust flow path A.

[0311] A discharge hole (not shown in the drawings) can be formed in the lateral support 41. The second suction hole 214 can be exposed to the right side of the lateral support 41, that is, the inside of the exhaust flow path A, through the discharge hole.

[0312] In addition, the cooking appliance of the present embodiment can further include connection flow path defining members 37, 38. The connection flow path defining members 37, 38 can be disposed on the upper side of the corner fan assembly 200. The connection flow path defining members 37, 38 can partition the rear space 10f such that a part of the area around the support member 40 in the rear space 10f is separated as the connection flow path 39.

[0313] In one example, the connecting flow path defining members 37, 38 may include a first partition portion 37 and a second partition portion 38.

[0314] The first partition portion 37 may form a vertical wall that is provided on a lateral side of the support member 40 and is spaced apart from the support member 40 by a predetermined distance. In one example, the first partition portion 37 may form a vertical wall that is provided on a lateral side of the lateral support 41 and is spaced apart from the lateral support 41 by a predetermined distance. In the left lateral upward direction, the first partition portion 37 may be provided between the corner fan assembly 200 and the rear fan assembly 100.

[0315] The second partition portion 38 may form a wall that connects the lateral support 41 and the first partition portion 37 to each other. In one example, the first partition portion 37 may be provided on the right side of the lateral support 41 and at a position spaced apart from the lateral support 41 by a predetermined distance. The second partition portion 38 may form a wall that connects the lower end of the first partition portion 37 and the lateral support 41 to each other.

[0316] In one example, the second partition portion 38 may be provided above the second flow path plate 32. The left end of the second partition portion 38 may be coupled to the lateral support 41. Additionally, the left end of the second partition portion 38 may be vertically spaced apart from the left end of the second flow path plate 32, while the second suction hole 214 is interposed between the left end of the second partition portion 38 and the left end of the second flow path plate 32.

[0317] In one example, the second partition portion 38 may also form an inclined surface parallel to the second flow path plate 32. The second partition portion 38 together with the lateral support 41 may define the left boundary surface of the exhaust flow path A, and may guide the air flow discharged from the second suction hole 214 to the exhaust flow path A to the lateral center point of the exhaust flow path A.

[0318] The first partition portion 37 may extend upward from the second partition portion 38. Thus, the first partition portion 37 together with the lateral support 41 and the second partition portion 38 may define the left boundary surface of the exhaust flow path A. The first partition portion 37 may also guide the flow of air flowing through the exhaust flow path A toward the upper space 10i.

[0319] When the operations of the blowers 100 and 200 start, as Figures 8 to 10 and Figure 13As shown, an intake air flow can be generated to suck the air outside the cooking appliance into the cooking appliance. The intake air flow generated as described above acts on the outside air sucked through the air intake hole 1 provided at the lower end of the cooking appliance. The outside air (i.e., cooking gas) around the air intake hole 1 can be sucked into the main body 10 through the air intake hole 1 under the intake air flow acting in this way.

[0320] The cooking gas sucked into the main body 10 can be introduced into the rear space 10f in the space defined in the main body 10. The cooking gas introduced into the rear space 10f can be sucked into the rear fan assembly 100 and the corner fan assembly 200 through the first intake hole 112 provided at two opposite sides of the rear fan assembly 100 respectively and the intake hole provided at the lower side of the corner fan assembly 200.

[0321] In this regard, the air entering the rear fan assembly 100 can be guided by at least a part of the flow path defining member 30. Specifically, the suction of air into the first intake hole 112 provided on the left side of the rear fan assembly 100 can be guided by the second flow path plate 32.

[0322] The air sucked into the rear fan assembly 100 and the corner fan assembly 200 can be discharged through the first discharge hole 114 and the second intake hole 214 respectively. The air flow discharged in this way can be guided by the exhaust flow path A.

[0323] The air discharged from the second discharge hole 214 of the corner fan assembly 200 can flow through the exhaust flow path A, then through the rear space 10i and into the upper space 10f. The exhaust flow path A can form an inclined flow path that extends obliquely upward to the right from the second discharge hole 214 around the second discharge hole 214.

[0324] The right-upward inclined flow path formed as above can reduce the flow resistance in the exhaust flow path A and minimize the air flow loss inside the cooking appliance. The right-upward inclined flow path formed as above can be formed on the right side of the second intake hole 214 by the second flow path plate 32 defining the lower boundary surface of the exhaust flow path A and the connecting flow path defining members 37 and 38 defining the left boundary surface of the flow path.

[0325] In addition, the air discharged from the first discharge hole 114 of the rear fan assembly 100 can flow through the exhaust flow path A, then through the rear space 10i, and then into the upper space 10f. In this regard, the exhaust flow path A can guide the air flow so that the air discharged through the first discharge hole 114 can flow toward the upper space 10i without diffusing to its surroundings.

[0326] [Another example of the flow path defining member]

[0327] Refer to Figure 11 and Figure 12, the flow path defining member 35 may further include an extension plate 34. The extension plate 34 may form a wall that blocks the first suction hole 112 and the first discharge hole 114 from each other.

[0328] Similar to the second flow path plate 32a, the extension plate 34 may be provided on the left side of the rear fan assembly 100. The extension plate 34 is provided on the upper side of the rear fan assembly 100, and the second flow path plate 32a extends downward from the extension plate 34. In one example, the extension plate 34 may be provided above the second flow path plate 32a and may be provided in a form that extends upward from the second flow path plate 32a.

[0329] In the lateral direction, the rear fan assembly 100 may be provided between the extension plate 34 and the first flow path plate 31. Additionally, the extension plate 34 may be provided between the rear fan assembly 100 and the corner fan assembly 200 in the lateral direction. Additionally, the extension plate 34 may be provided between the lateral support member 41 and the fastening plate 33 in the lateral direction and between the connecting flow path defining member 35 and the fastening plate 33.

[0330] The extension plate 34 arranged as above may be provided between the lateral support member 41 and the first flow path plate 31 and between the connecting flow path defining member 35 and the first flow path plate 31 in the exhaust flow path A. That is, the extension plate 34 may also form a vertical wall between the left boundary surface and the right boundary surface of the exhaust flow path A.

[0331] The extension plate 34 may divide the exhaust flow path A into a first exhaust flow path A1 forming its right side and a second exhaust flow path A2 forming its left side. The extension plate 34 may define the left boundary surface of the first exhaust flow path A1 and may define the right boundary surface of the second exhaust flow path A2.

[0332] The first exhaust flow path A1 may form a passage connecting the first discharge hole 114 and the upper space 10i to each other, such that the passage is defined in the rear space 10f. The second exhaust flow path A2 may form a passage connecting the second suction hole 214 and the upper space 10i to each other, such that the passage may be formed in the rear space and the passage is isolated from the first exhaust flow path A1.

[0333] Additionally, the flow path defining member 35 may be divided into a first flow path defining member 35a and a second flow path defining member 35b. In one example, the first flow path defining member 35a may be provided in a form in which the first flow path plate 31 and the fastening plate 33 are connected to each other, and the second flow path defining member 35b may be provided in a form in which the second flow path defining member 35b and the extension plate 34 are connected to each other.

[0334] The first flow path defining member 35a can be disposed inside the cooking appliance through the connection of the fan housing of the rear fan assembly 100 and the fastening plate 33. The second flow path defining member 35b can be installed inside the cooking appliance through the connection between the second flow path plate 32a and the lateral support member 41.

[0335] The exhaust flow path A can be divided into a first exhaust flow path A1 and a second exhaust flow path A2 through the flow path defining member 35 as described above. Therefore, the air discharged into the rear space 10f by the rear fan assembly 100 and the air discharged into the rear space 10f by the corner fan assembly 200 can flow toward the upper space 10i through separate flow paths respectively.

[0336] The flow path defining member 35 can divide the exhaust flow path A into a first flow path and a second flow path as described above, so that it is possible to suppress the mixing of the air discharged from the corner fan assembly 200 and the air discharged from the rear fan assembly 100 in the exhaust flow path A.

[0337] [Structure of air intake and discharge of cooking appliance]

[0338] Figure 14 is a rear perspective view showing a first state of a cooking appliance according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 15 is as shown Figure 14 a diagram showing the air flow state in the cooking appliance. Figure 16 is a rear perspective view showing a second state of a cooking appliance according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 17 is as shown Figure 16 a diagram showing the air flow state in the cooking appliance. Figure 18 is a rear perspective view showing a third state of a cooking appliance according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 19 is as shown Figure 18 a diagram showing the air flow state in the cooking appliance.

[0339] Hereinafter, a structure for sucking and discharging air in a cooking device according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 13 to 19 the description.

[0340] With reference to Figures 13 to 15 , an air intake hole 1 can be provided at the lower end of the cooking appliance, and an exhaust hole can be provided at the upper end of the cooking appliance. A first exhaust hole 2 can be provided in the upper surface of the cabinet 13 and can be provided closer to the rear side of the cooking appliance, and a second exhaust hole 3 can be provided in the upper surface of the cabinet 13 and can be provided closer to the front side of the cooking appliance. In addition, a third exhaust hole 4 can be provided in the rear end of the cooking appliance and can be defined in the rear plate 15.

[0341] The blower fans 100 and 200 may include a rear fan assembly 100 and a corner fan assembly 200, and the rear fan assembly 100 may be disposed in the rear space 10f. The corner fan assembly 200 may be disposed in the rear space 10f or the corner spaces 10g and 10h.

[0342] When each of the rear fan assembly 100 and the corner fan assembly 200 starts operating, a suction air flow for sucking air outside the cooking appliance into the cooking appliance may be generated. The suction air flow generated as described above acts on the outside air through the air intake hole 1 provided at the lower end of the cooking appliance. The outside air (i.e., cooking gas) around the air intake hole 1 may flow through the air intake hole 1 and be sucked into the main body 10 under the suction air flow acting in this way.

[0343] In addition, the cooking gas sucked into the main body 10 may be introduced into the rear space 10f through the lower space. For example, the cooking gas introduced into the lower space may be introduced into the rear space 10f and the corner spaces 10g and 10h.

[0344] The cooking gas introduced into the rear space 10f may be sucked into the rear fan assembly 100 through first suction holes 112 provided at two opposite sides of the rear fan assembly 100, respectively. The cooking gas sucked into the rear fan assembly 100 may be discharged upward through a first discharge hole 114 provided at the upper side of the rear fan assembly 100.

[0345] The cooking gas introduced into the corner spaces 10g and 10h may be sucked into the corner fan assembly 200 through second suction holes 212 provided at the lower surface of the corner fan assembly 200. The cooking gas sucked into the corner fan assembly 200 may be discharged laterally from the corner fan assembly 200 through second discharge holes 214 provided at the side surface of the corner fan assembly 200.

[0346] The rear space 10f may connect the air intake hole 1 provided below the lower space to the upper space 10i. In addition, an exhaust air flow path A may be formed in the rear space 10f. The air flow of the cooking gas discharged from the rear fan assembly 100 and the corner fan assembly 200 may be guided toward the upper space 10i through the exhaust air flow path A.

[0347] When only the first exhaust hole 2 among the exhaust holes 2, 3, and 4 is opened and the second exhaust hole 3 and the third exhaust hole 4 among the exhaust holes 2, 3, and 4 are closed (hereinafter referred to as "the first state of the cooking appliance"), the cooking gas flowing upward through the exhaust air flow path A may be discharged to the outside through the first exhaust hole 2.

[0348] In one example, the first row of vent holes 2 may be connected to a duct (not shown) that communicates with the outdoor area. For example, the duct may be installed on the upper surface of the main body 10, and the internal space of the duct may be connected to the first vent hole 2.

[0349] The first vent hole 2 connected to the duct as described above may constitute a passage connecting the upper space 10i to the outside of the cooking appliance. The first vent hole 2 may be provided above the upper space 10i and may be provided at a position vertically overlapping the rear space 10f.

[0350] That is, the rear fan assembly 100, the rear space 10f, and the first vent hole 2 may overlap each other in the vertical direction. Preferably, the rear fan assembly 100, the rear space 10f, and the first vent hole 2 may be aligned with each other in a straight line along the vertical direction.

[0351] In addition, the exhaust flow path A may be provided between the blowers 100, 200 and the first vent hole 2 and within the rear space 10f. The inlet of the exhaust flow path A may open toward the blowers 100, 200, and the outlet of the exhaust flow path A may open toward the upper space 10i. In addition, the first vent hole 2 may be provided in a region vertically overlapping the outlet of the exhaust flow path A.

[0352] Therefore, the air flow generated by the operation of the rear fan assembly 100 may have a straight line direction that is the same as the alignment direction of the rear fan assembly 100, the rear space 10f, and the first vent hole 2.

[0353] As described above, when the air flows in a straight line direction, the resistance to the air flow is reduced, so that the air flow can proceed more smoothly. Therefore, the air suction and discharge performance of the rear fan assembly 100 can be improved, and accordingly, the cooking gas removal performance of the cooking appliance can be improved.

[0354] In one example, the cooking appliance of the present embodiment may discharge the cooking gas sucked into the cooking appliance into the indoor space, as Figure 16 and Figure 17 shown. In this regard, the cooking appliance may be in a state where only the second vent hole 3 is open and the first vent hole 2 and the third vent hole 4 are closed among the vent holes 2, 3, and 4 (hereinafter, referred to as "the second state of the cooking appliance").

[0355] In the second state of the cooking appliance, the passage for discharging the cooking gas sucked into the interior of the cooking appliance into the indoor space may be composed of the second vent hole 3. That is, the cooking gas introduced into the rear space 10f through the air intake hole 1 may flow through the upper space 10i and then be discharged into the indoor space through the second vent hole 3.

[0356] In one example, a filter (not shown) may be provided at the bottom surface of the cooking appliance. The filter may be disposed in the air intake hole 1, and the cooking gas may flow through the air intake hole 1 while being filtered by the filter.

[0357] In another example, the filter may be disposed in the upper space 10i. For example, the filter may be provided inside the main body 10 and may be disposed in the second exhaust hole 3. In this case, the cooking gas flowing from the rear space 10f to the upper space 10i may flow through the filter and be discharged into the indoor space through the second exhaust hole 3 in a state where the air has been filtered by the filter.

[0358] As Figure 18 and Figure 19 shown, the cooking appliance of the present embodiment can discharge the cooking gas sucked into the cooking appliance to the outside through the third exhaust hole 4.

[0359] In this regard, the cooking appliance may be in a state where only the third exhaust hole 4 is open and the first exhaust hole 2 and the second exhaust hole 3 in the exhaust holes 2, 3, and 4 are closed (hereinafter, referred to as "the third state of the cooking appliance").

[0360] In one example, the third exhaust hole 4 may be connected to a pipe or conduit (not shown) embedded in the wall surface on which the cooking appliance is mounted. For example, the pipe or conduit may be coupled to the rear plate 15, and the internal space of the pipe or conduit may be connected to the third exhaust hole 4.

[0361] The 3rd exhaust hole 4 connected to the pipe or conduit is provided at the position closest to the blowers 100 and 200. Therefore, in the third state of the cooking appliance, the distances between the blowers 100 and 200 and the exhaust holes 2, 3, and 4 can be the shortest. In addition, since the third exhaust hole 4 is defined in the rear surface of the cooking appliance facing the wall surface, the third exhaust hole 4 and the pipe or conduit are not exposed to the outside.

[0362] That is, when the cooking appliance is in the third state, the cooking appliance can reduce the flow resistance inside the cooking appliance by reducing the air flow distance inside the cooking appliance, and can keep the appearance of the cooking appliance simple and clean.

[0363] As described above, the cooking appliance according to the present embodiment adopts a structure in which the blowers 100 and 200 are provided in the rear space 10f, so that the flow of air involved in sucking the cooking gas and discharging the cooking gas through the first exhaust hole 2 proceeds in a straight line direction, thereby minimizing the air flow loss in the cooking appliance and providing more improved cooking gas removal performance.

[0364] In addition, in the cooking appliance according to the present embodiment, a filter installation space can be effectively secured in the upper space 10i, thereby maintaining a compact size and smoothly filtering cooking gas and discharging the cooking gas into the indoor space.

[0365] In one example, as described above, the space inside the main body 10 can be divided into a side space 10e, a rear space 10f, and an upper space 10i, and the blowers 100 and 200 according to the present embodiment are provided in the rear space 10f, rather than in the side space 10e or the upper space 10i.

[0366] Generally, the lateral length of the side space 10e where no electronic / electrical component chamber is provided is set to be shorter than the front-rear direction length of the rear space 10f. That is, the side space 10e can only provide a space narrower than the rear space 10f.

[0367] According to the type of the cooking appliance, various devices can be provided in the rear space 10f. For example, in a cooking appliance providing a convection function, a convection module can be provided in the rear space 10f.

[0368] On the other hand, in the case where devices are provided in the side space 10e that does not constitute the electronic / electrical component chambers 10b, 10c, 10d, it is very rare. Therefore, the lateral width of the lateral space 10e does not need to be increased unnecessarily. When the lateral length of the side space 10e is increased unnecessarily, only the overall size of the cooking appliance increases regardless of whether the performance of the cooking appliance is improved.

[0369] Considering this fact, the side space 10e is formed to provide a space narrower than the rear space 10f.

[0370] To reduce costs, different types of cooking appliances having the same cooking chamber volume generally adopt the same-sized main body 10. For example, the main body 10 having the same size as that adopted by a cooking appliance providing only a high-frequency function can be used to manufacture a cooking appliance providing both a high-frequency function and a convection function.

[0371] Therefore, the main body 10 of the present embodiment can include a rear space 10f that provides a space suitable for accommodating a convection module therein, and the side space 10e can be formed in a form that only provides a space narrower than the rear space 10f.

[0372] Considering this fact, the blowers 100 and 200 of the present embodiment can be provided in the rear space 10f that provides a more sufficient space than the side space 10e. As described above, the blowers 100 and 200 are provided in the rear space 10f so that the airflow loss inside the cooking appliance as described above can be reduced, and a larger fan assembly with high performance can be applied to the blowers 100 and 200.

[0373] That is, the cooking appliance of the present embodiment including the blowers 100 and 200 disposed in the rear space 10f can provide improved cooking gas removal performance while suppressing an increase in the size of the cooking appliance using the main body 10 of a common size.

[0374] [Support member]

[0375] Figure 20 is an enlarged view showing the corner fan assembly and its surroundings in an enlarged manner, Figure 21 shows from Figure 20 is a rear perspective view showing the state where the support member is removed from the cooking appliance shown. Figure 22 is a rear perspective view showing a part of the cooking appliance applying another example of the support member, and Figure 23 shows from as Figure 22 is a rear perspective view showing the support member removed from the cooking appliance shown.

[0376] Referring to Figure 6 , Figure 20 and Figure 21 , the cooking appliance of the present embodiment may include a support member 40. The support member 40 may support the corner fan assembly 200 such that the air flow discharged from the second suction hole 214 can be guided toward the rear space 10f.

[0377] At least a part of the support member 40 may constitute a wall that blocks the side space 10e and the rear space 10f from each other. That is, at least a part of the support member 40 may constitute a wall that blocks the corner fan assembly 200 and the rear fan assembly 100 in the rear space 10f from each other.

[0378] The support member 40 may constitute a wall that divides the rear space 10f into two regions arranged in the lateral direction. In one example, the support member 40 may divide the portion of the rear space 10f adjacent to the side space 10e into corner spaces 10g and 10h. In addition, at least a part of the support member 40 may constitute a wall that covers the corner fan assembly 200 while being disposed on the side of the corner fan assembly 200. Such a wall may be constituted by a lateral support 41.

[0379] The second suction hole 214 may be provided at the side of the corner fan assembly 200 and may face the support member 40, more specifically, the lateral support 41. In addition, a discharge hole 41a may be formed in the lateral support 41. The discharge hole 41a may be configured to laterally expose the second suction hole 214 and may be formed to extend laterally through the lateral support 41.

[0380] The lateral support member 41 can be connected to the corner fan assembly 200. That is, the corner fan assembly 200 can be coupled to the lateral support member 41 from the side and can be supported by the support member 40.

[0381] The support member 40 can include a front support member 42. The front support member 42 constitutes the front surface of the support member 40 and is disposed in front of the corner fan assembly 200.

[0382] While being disposed in front of the corner fan assembly 200, the front support member 42 can constitute a vertical wall covering the corner fan assembly 200. For example, the front support member 42 can constitute a vertical plane orthogonal to the front - rear axis. The front support member 42 can be disposed between the cooling fan 6 (see Figure 25 ) and the corner fan assembly 200 to be described later, and can constitute a wall that blocks the cooling fan 6 and the corner fan assembly 200 from each other, such that the wall is located in the electronic / electrical component chambers 10b, 10c, and 10d.

[0383] The front support member 42 can be connected to the lateral support member 41 at the side of the lateral support member 41. In one example, the right end of the front support member 42 can be connected to the front end of the lateral support member 41. For example, the front support member 42 and the lateral support member 41 can be coupled to each other to form an "L" shape.

[0384] The front support member 42 connected to the lateral support member 41 can support the lateral support member 41 while being disposed in front of the lateral support member 41. The front support member 42 can function as a shielding wall that shields the cooling fan 6 and the corner fan assembly 200, and can function as a support wall that supports the lateral support member 41 for supporting the corner fan assembly 200.

[0385] In addition, the front support member 42 can include a support surface that constitutes a vertical plane for coupling with electronic / electrical components. For example, electronic / electrical components such as a magnetron, a high - voltage transformer, a high - voltage capacitor, a noise filter, etc. can be disposed in the electronic / electrical component chambers 10b, 10c, and 10d, and at least one of the electronic / electrical components can be mounted on the support surface of the front support member 42. In this embodiment, a high - voltage capacitor is shown to be mounted on the support surface of the front support member 42.

[0386] In addition, the support member 40 can further include an upper support member 43. The upper support member 43 constitutes the upper surface of the support member 40 and is disposed on the upper side of the corner fan assembly 200. In one example, the upper support member 43 can be disposed in the corner spaces 10g and 10h.

[0387] The upper support member 43 can be disposed above the lateral support member 41 and the front support member 42, and can be connected to at least one of the lateral support member 41 and the front support member 42 in the vertical direction. In the present embodiment, it is shown that the upper support member 43 is connected to both the lateral support member 41 and the front support member 42.

[0388] On the other hand, the front end of the upper support member 43 can be connected to the upper end of the front support member 42, and the right end of the upper support member 43 can be connected to the upper end of the lateral support member 41. Due to the upper support member 43, the three-direction surfaces of the support member 40 are connected to each other, so that the structural stability of the support member 40 can be improved.

[0389] In addition, the upper support member 43 can include a support surface for constituting a horizontal plane for coupling with electronic / electrical components. In the present embodiment, it is shown that a noise filter connected to the corner fan assembly is mounted on the support surface of the upper support member 43.

[0390] The support member 40 including the lateral support member 41, the front support member 42, and the upper support member 43 as described above can provide a shielding wall that blocks the cooling fan 6 and the corner fan assembly 200 from each other, and can also provide a support wall for stably mounting the electronic / electrical components and the corner fan assembly 200.

[0391] In one example, the support member 40 can be provided in a form in which the lateral support member 41, the front support member 42, and the upper support member 43 are integrally formed with each other. The support member 40 can facilitate the assembly and installation of the electronic / electrical components and the management of the components, and can have excellent structural stability.

[0392] As another example, as Figure 22 and Figure 23 shown, the lateral support member, the front support member, and the upper support member can be separately provided.

[0393] Therefore, the support member 45 can include a first support plate 45a, a second support plate 45b, and a third support plate 45c. The first support plate 45a, the second support plate 45b, and the third support plate 45c can be separately provided.

[0394] For example, the first support plate 45a can constitute the lateral support member, the second support plate 45b can constitute the front support member, and the third support plate 45c can constitute the upper support member. The first support plate 45a, the second support plate 45b, and the third support plate 45c provided as separate plates can be coupled to each other to form the support member 40.

[0395] In one example, the first support plate 45a may be provided in a form including a lateral support member and connecting flow path defining members 37 and 38 both. That is, in the first support plate 45a, the lateral support member and the connecting flow path defining members 37 and 38 may be integrally formed with each other.

[0396] In addition, through holes 41b may be defined in the first support plate 45a, or may be defined in the third support plate 45c.

[0397] [Structure of electronic / electrical component chamber]

[0398] Figure 24 is a view showing a state in which outside air is introduced into the electronic / electrical component chamber through the cold air inlet. Figures 25 to 27 is a view showing a flow state of the air introduced into the electronic / electrical component chamber. Figure 28 is a view showing a flow state of the air introduced from the upper corner space into the lower corner space through the connecting flow path.

[0399] Referring to Figure 24 and Figure 25 , the main body 10 may have a cold air inlet 5 defined therein. The cold air inlet 5 may be provided in the upper surface of the main body 10, in which the first exhaust hole 2 and the second exhaust hole 3 are defined.

[0400] In one example, the cold air inlet 5 may be formed to penetrate the upper surface of the box body 13 in the vertical direction. The cold air inlet 5 may be provided above the electronic / electrical component chambers 10b, 10c, and 10d, and may lead the electronic / electrical component chambers 10b, 10c, and 10d to the outside of the main body 10. Outside air may be introduced into the electronic / electrical component chambers 10b, 10c, and 10d through the cold air inlet 5.

[0401] Referring to Figures 25 to 26 , the cooking appliance of the present embodiment may include a partition plate 50. The partition plate 50 may be provided in the side space 10e, and more specifically, in the electronic / electrical component chambers 10b, 10c, and 10d.

[0402] In one example, the partition plate 50 may also constitute a horizontal plane orthogonal to the vertical axis. The partition plate 50 may vertically divide the side space 10e into a lower electronic / electrical component chamber 10b and an upper electronic / electrical component chamber 10c. For example, the electronic / electrical component chambers 10b, 10c, 10d may be divided into a lower electronic / electrical component chamber 10b below the partition plate 50 and an upper electronic / electrical component chamber 10c above the partition plate 50.

[0403] In one example, among the electronic / electrical component chambers 10b, 10c, and 10d, the lower electronic / electrical component chamber 10b may occupy a much wider space than the upper electronic / electrical component chamber 10c. For example, the vertical length of the lower electronic / electrical component chamber 10b may be set to be much greater than the vertical length of the upper electronic / electrical component chamber 10c. Most of the electronic / electrical components including a magnetron, a high-voltage transformer, a high-voltage capacitor, etc. may be mainly arranged in the lower electronic / electrical component chamber 10b.

[0404] The cooking appliance of the present embodiment may further include a cooling fan 6. The cooling fan 6 is configured to be able to introduce external air into the electronic / electrical component chambers 10b, 10c, 10d via the cold air intake hole 5. In one example, the cooling fan 6 together with most of the electronic / electrical components may be arranged in the lower electronic / electrical component chamber 10b.

[0405] The blowers 100 and 200 may be arranged behind the cooling fan 6. The support member 40, more specifically, the front support 42 may be arranged between the cooling fan 6 and the corner fan assembly 200.

[0406] The cooling fan 6 may generate an air flow for introducing external air into the main body 10 through the cold air inlet 5.

[0407] When the cooling fan 6 operates, external air may be introduced into the upper electronic / electrical component chamber 10c through the cold air inlet 5. The air introduced into the upper electronic / electrical component chamber 10c may flow through the partition plate 50 and be introduced into the lower electronic / electrical component chamber 10b.

[0408] For this purpose, the partition plate 50 may have through holes 52 and 54 defined therein. The through holes 52 and 54 may constitute a passage connecting the upper electronic / electrical component chamber 10a and the lower electronic / electrical component chamber 10b to each other, such that the passage is defined in the partition plate 50. In one example, the through holes 52 and 54 may be formed to extend in the vertical direction through the partition plate 50.

[0409] The air introduced into the upper electronic / electrical component chamber 10c through the cold air inlet 5 may be introduced into the lower electronic / electrical component chamber 10b through the through holes 52 and 54. The air introduced into the electronic / electrical component chambers 10b, 10c, and 10d may cool the electronic / electrical components arranged in the lower electronic / electrical component chamber 10b.

[0410] In addition, a part of the air introduced into the lower electronic / electrical component chamber 10b may be introduced into the cooking chamber 10a (see Figure 2) For this purpose, the cavity 11 may have side holes 11a. The side holes 11a may constitute a passage connecting at least one of the lower electronic / electrical component chamber 10a and the upper electronic / electrical component chamber 10c to the cooking chamber 10a.

[0411] In the present embodiment, a case where the side holes 11a are provided in the lower electronic / electrical component chamber 10b is shown. In one example, the side holes 11a are formed to extend in the lateral direction through the cavity 11, so that a passage connecting the lower electronic / electrical component chamber 10b and the cooking chamber 10a to each other can be formed in the cavity 11. The side holes 11a may be provided in front of the support member 40.

[0412] The cooking appliance of the present embodiment may further include a baffle 55. The baffle 55 may divide the upper electronic / electrical component chamber 10c in the front-rear direction, so that the front area of the upper electronic / electrical component chamber 10d is separated as an air intake chamber 10d.

[0413] In one example, the baffle 55 may constitute a vertical wall surface orthogonal to the front-rear axis. The baffle 55 may be provided above the partition plate 50 and may be coupled to the upper surface of the partition plate 50.

[0414] Due to the baffle 55 arranged as above, the area between the front plate 12 of the upper electronic / electrical component chamber 10c and the baffle 55 may be separated as the air intake chamber 10d.

[0415] A plurality of through holes 52 and 54 may be defined in the partition plate 50. In one example, the partition plate 50 may have a first through hole 52 and a second through hole 54. The first through hole 52 and the second through hole 54 may be spaced apart from each other in the front-rear direction, while the baffle 55 is interposed between the first through hole 52 and the second through hole 54.

[0416] The first through hole 52 may constitute a passage connecting the air intake chamber 10a and the lower electronic / electrical component chamber 10b to each other. The first through hole 52 may be provided in front of the baffle 55 and the cooling fan 6, and may be formed to penetrate the partition plate 50 in the vertical direction.

[0417] The second through hole 54 may constitute a passage connecting the upper electronic / electrical component chamber 10c and the lower electronic / electrical component chamber 10b to each other, while the second through hole 54 is provided behind the air intake chamber 10a. The second through hole 54 may be provided behind the baffle 55 and the cooling fan 6, and may be formed to penetrate the partition plate 50 in the vertical direction.

[0418] According to this embodiment, the upper support member 43 may be disposed behind the partition plate 50. The upper support member 43 may be disposed in the corner spaces 10g and 10h and may vertically divide the corner spaces 10g and 10h into upper corner spaces and lower corner spaces. The corner spaces 10g and 10h may be divided into the upper corner space 10g and the lower corner space 10h via the upper support member 43.

[0419] The lower corner space 10h may be disposed below the upper support member 43. The upper boundary surface of the lower corner space 10h may be defined by the upper support member 43, the front boundary surface of the lower corner space 10h may be defined by the front support member 42, and the right boundary surface of the lower corner space 10h may be defined by the lateral support member 41. The corner fan assembly 200 may be disposed in the lower corner space 10h.

[0420] The upper corner space 10g may be disposed above the upper support member 43. The upper corner space 10g may be disposed behind the upper electronic / electrical component chamber 10c and may communicate with the upper electronic / electrical component chamber 10c while being located behind the upper electronic / electrical component chamber 10c.

[0421] At least one of the electronic / electrical components disposed in the upper electronic / electrical component chamber 10c may be disposed in the upper support member 43. In one example, a noise filter connected to the corner fan assembly 200 may be disposed in the upper corner space 10g, and the noise filter may be mounted on the upper surface of the upper support member 43.

[0422] The air introduced into the lower electronic / electrical component chamber 10b by the cooling fan 6 may flow into the upper electronic / electrical component chamber 10c through the second through hole 54. Thus, the air introduced into the upper electronic / electrical component chamber 10c may cool the electronic / electrical components mounted in the upper support member 43 while flowing through the upper corner space 10g.

[0423] In one example, the upper electronic / electrical component chamber 10c and the lower electronic / electrical component chamber 10b may be connected to each other via the connection flow path 39. The connection flow path 39 may constitute a passage through which the air introduced into the lower electronic / electrical component chamber 10b by the cooling fan 6 flows through the upper electronic / electrical component chamber 10c to the blowers 100 and 200. For example, the connection flow path 39 may constitute a path through which the air introduced into the electronic / electrical component chambers 10b, 10c, and 10d may be introduced into the corner fan assembly 200 through the upper corner space 10g.

[0424] In addition, a through hole 41b may be defined in the lateral support member 41. The through hole 41b is configured to open the space surrounded by the lateral support member 41 and the front support member 42, i.e., the lower side corner space 10h, laterally.

[0425] The connecting flow path 39 can form a path connecting the through hole 41b and the upper electronic / electrical component chamber 10c to each other. More specifically, it can form a path connecting the through hole 41b and the upper corner space 10g to each other. The connecting flow path 39 can also communicate with the upper corner space 10g and the lower corner space 10h in a state where it is disposed on the lateral sides of the corner spaces 10g, 10h. The connecting flow path 39 and the lower corner space 10h can communicate with each other through the through hole 41b.

[0426] As described above, the connecting flow path 39 can be defined by the connecting flow path defining members 37, 38. Among the connecting flow path defining members 37 and 38, the first partition portion 37 can form a vertical wall disposed on the lateral side of the lateral support member 41 and spaced apart from the lateral support member 41 by a predetermined distance. The second partition portion 38 can be disposed below the through hole 41b and connected to the lateral support member 41, and form a wall connecting the lateral support member 41 and the first partition portion 37 to each other.

[0427] Two opposite side surfaces of the connecting flow path 39 can be defined by the lateral support member 41 and the first partition portion 37. For example, the left side surface of the connecting flow path 39 can be defined by the lateral support member 41, and the right side surface of the connecting flow path 39 can be defined by the first partition portion 37. The bottom surface of the connecting flow path 39 can be defined by the second partition portion 38.

[0428] The air introduced into the upper electronic / electrical component chamber 10c can flow through the upper corner space 10g and be introduced into the connecting flow path 39. The air flowing into the connecting flow path 39 can flow into the lower corner space 10h through the through hole 41b and then be sucked into the corner fan assembly 200.

[0429] The suction force of the corner fan assembly 200 can act on the lower corner space 10h. As described above, the suction force acting on the lower corner space 10h may also affect the connecting flow path 39 connected to the lower corner space 10h and the upper corner space 10g. That is, the suction force of the corner fan assembly 200 can affect the upper corner space 10g, which can be used as a force to make the air flowing into the upper corner space 10g flow toward the lower corner space 10h.

[0430] Ultimately, the suction force of the corner fan assembly 200 can be used as a force to guide the air flow introduced into the upper electronic / electrical component chamber 10c from the lower electronic / electrical component chamber 10b through the connecting flow path 39 to the lower corner space 10h.

[0431] Hereinafter, the air flow in the electronic / electrical component chambers 10b, 10c, 10d will be described.

[0432] As Figure 24As shown, outside air can be introduced into the main body 10 through the cold air inlet 5. The air that has flowed through the cold air inlet 5 can be introduced into the air intake chamber 10d, as Figures 25 to 27 shown.

[0433] The air introduced into the air intake chamber 10d can flow through the first through hole 52 across the partition plate 50 and can flow into the lower electronic / electrical component chamber 10b. In the lower electronic / electrical component chamber 10b, the air can flow in the backward direction through the cooling fan 6. As described above, the air flowing backward in the lower electronic / electrical component chamber 10b can cool the electronic / electrical components provided in the lower electronic / electrical component chamber 10b.

[0434] A part of the air flowing in the lower electronic / electrical component chamber 10b can flow through the air intake hole 1 across the cavity 11 and be introduced into the electronic / electrical component chamber. Another part of the air flowing in the lower electronic / electrical component chamber 10b can flow through the second through hole 54 across the partition plate 50 and flow into the upper electronic / electrical component chamber 10c.

[0435] In the upper electronic / electrical component chamber 10c, the air can flow toward the connection flow path 39 under the influence of the suction force of the corner fan assembly 200. For example, as Figure 28 shown, the air introduced into the upper electronic / electrical component chamber 10c can cool the electronic / electrical components while flowing through the upper corner space 10g and then flow into the connection flow path 39.

[0436] The air flowing into the connection flow path 39 can flow into the lower corner space 10h through the through hole 41b formed in the lateral support member 41 and be sucked into the corner fan assembly 200. That is, as Figure 13 shown, the air flowing from the connection flow path 39 into the lower corner 10h converges with the air flowing into the interior of the main body 10 through the air intake hole 1, and the converged air is sucked into the interior of the corner fan assembly 200 and discharged to the exhaust flow path A.

[0437] As Figures 24 to 28 shown, the flow paths formed in the electronic / electrical component chambers 10b, 10c and 10d, the corner spaces 10g and 10h, and the connection flow path 39 allow the force provided by the suction force of the corner fan assembly 200 to be added to the force provided by the cooling fan 6 in the electronic / electrical component chambers 10b, 10c and 10d, thereby allowing the air to flow more smoothly within the electronic / electrical component chambers 10b, 10c and 10d and thus allowing the electronic / electrical components provided in the electronic / electrical component chambers 10b, 10c and 10d to be cooled more effectively.

[0438] In addition, the flow paths formed in the electronic / electrical component chambers 10b, 10c, and 10d, the corner spaces 10g and 10h, and the connecting flow path 39 as described above can allow the air introduced into the electronic / electrical component chambers 10b, 10c, and 10d to flow toward the corner fan assembly 200, thereby increasing the air intake amount of the corner fan assembly 200 and ultimately helping to effectively increase the discharged air amount of the corner fan assembly 200.

[0439] In one example, referring to Figures 25 to 27 , the cooking appliance of the present embodiment may further include a flow path partition plate 16. The flow path partition plate 16 is configured to partition the cavity 11 and the space above the partition plate 50. The flow path partition plate 16 can partition the cavity 11 and the space above the partition plate 50 into an upper electronic / electrical component chamber 10c and an upper space 10i.

[0440] In one example, the flow path partition plate 16 may also form a vertical wall orthogonal to the horizontal axis. The flow path partition plate 16 can block the upper electronic / electrical component chamber 10c and the upper space 10i from each other and can isolate the two spaces from each other. For example, the flow path partition plate 16 can define the right boundary surface of the upper electronic / electrical component chamber 10c and the left boundary surface of the upper space 10i.

[0441] In addition, the cooking appliance of the present embodiment may include a waveguide 17. The waveguide 17 is configured to transmit microwaves generated from magnetrons installed in the electronic / electrical component chambers 10b, 10c, and 10d to the cooking chamber 10a.

[0442] The waveguide 17 may be provided in the upper electronic / electrical component chamber 10c and the upper space 10i and may be mounted on the upper surfaces of each of the partition plate 50 and the cavity 11. That is, a part of the waveguide 17 may be mounted on the upper surface of the partition plate 50, and the remaining part of the waveguide 17 may extend in the lateral direction through the flow path partition plate 16 and be mounted on the upper surface of the cavity 11.

[0443] A space is formed inside the waveguide 17, and the inlet of the waveguide 17 connected to the space may be connected to the magnetron, and the outlet of the waveguide 17 connected to the space may be connected to the cooking chamber 10a. The microwaves introduced into the waveguide 17 through the inlet of the waveguide 17 may be introduced into the cooking chamber 10a through the outlet of the waveguide 17.

[0444] The outlet of the waveguide 17 can be connected to the cooking chamber 10a while being defined at the upper surface of the cavity 11. Thus, the microwave transmitted through the waveguide 17 from the magnetron can flow over the upper surface of the cavity 11 that defines the cooking chamber 10a and be introduced into the cooking chamber 10a. In one example, the outlet of the waveguide 17 can be defined in the upper surface of the cavity 11 and can be disposed substantially at the lateral center of the cavity 11.

[0445] When the vertical length of the cooking appliance is shortened, the vertical length of the cooking chamber 10a is likely to be shortened. Even if the blowers 100 and 200 are disposed in the rear space 10f instead of the upper space 10i, and thus the vertical length of the upper space 10i can be correspondingly reduced, the reduction in the length of the upper space 10i inevitably is less than the reduction in the total length of the cooking appliance. Therefore, it is difficult to avoid the reduction in the length of the cooking chamber 10a due to the reduction in the length of the cooking appliance.

[0446] In this case, compared with the cooking chamber of a typical cooking appliance, the shape of the cooking chamber 10a has a flat shape elongated in the horizontal direction. In a cooking appliance having such a shaped cooking chamber 10a, when the microwave is introduced into the cooking chamber 10a through the side surface of the cavity 11, it is difficult to supply the microwave uniformly to the entire cooking chamber 10a.

[0447] Considering this situation, in the present embodiment, the waveguide 17 is mounted on the upper surface of the cavity 11, and the microwave can be introduced into the cooking chamber 10a through the upper surface of the cavity 11. That is, in the cooking appliance of the present embodiment, the microwave can be supplied through the upper surface of the cooking chamber 10a, and thus, the microwave can be uniformly supplied to the entire cooking chamber 10a.

[0448] [An example of the shielding member]

[0449] Referring to Figures 25 to 27 , the cooking appliance of the present embodiment can include a shielding member 60. The shielding member 60 is configured to shield the through holes 52 and 54 formed in the partition plate 50, and more specifically, to shield the first through hole 52 while being disposed on the top or below the partition plate 50. The shielding member 60 can be disposed to be spaced apart from the partition plate 50 or the first through hole 52 by a predetermined distance in the vertical direction.

[0450] In the present embodiment, the shielding member 60 is shown as being disposed above the partition plate 50 and the first through hole 52. The shielding member 60 can be disposed between the upper surface of the cabinet 13 and the partition plate 50. In one example, the shielding member 60 can be disposed in the upper electronic / electrical component chamber 10c, and more specifically, in the air intake chamber 10d.

[0451] In the vertical direction, the shielding member 60 may be disposed between the first through-hole 52 and the cold air inlet 5. The shielding member 60 may be configured such that in a top view of the main body 10, one of the first through-hole 52 and the cold air inlet 5 is completely shielded by the shielding member 60.

[0452] In one example, the shielding member 60 may be configured such that the first through-hole 52 is completely shielded by the shielding member 60. For example, the shielding member 60 may constitute a horizontal wall that completely shields the first through-hole 52 while being located on top of the first through-hole 52.

[0453] The shielding member 60 may be mounted on the baffle 55. The shielding member 60 may be mounted on the baffle 55 to be coupled to the front surface of the baffle 55 and protrude forward from the baffle 55. In this regard, the shielding member 60 may be coupled to the baffle 55 and at a position spaced a predetermined distance upward from the upper surface of the partition plate 50.

[0454] Due to the shielding member 60, the first through-hole 52 is completely shielded such that an observer above the cooking appliance cannot see the first through-hole 52, while the air flow through the first through-hole 52 can be smoothly performed. That is, the shielding member 60 shields the first through-hole 52 such that the first through-hole 52 is not visible from a position above the shielding member 60, while the air in the air intake chamber 10d can be smoothly introduced into the lower electronic / electrical component chamber 10b through the first through-hole 52 regardless of the presence of the shielding member 60.

[0455] The shielding member 60 may block the first through-hole 52 and the cold air inlet 5 from each other. The shielding member 60 may be used to shield the flame rising from the first through-hole 52 while being located between the first through-hole 52 and the cold air inlet 5, so that the flame generated in the lower electronic / electrical component chamber 10b does not expose to the outside of the cooking appliance through the cold air inlet 5.

[0456] Most high-voltage electronic / electrical components such as high-voltage transformers, high-voltage capacitors, etc. are disposed in the lower electronic / electrical component chamber 10b. As described above, the high-voltage electronic / electrical components disposed in the lower electronic / electrical component chamber 10b on the lower side have a risk of catching fire in the lower electronic / electrical component chamber 10b.

[0457] When a fire occurs in the lower electronic / electrical component chamber 10b, the generated flame exposes to the outside of the cooking appliance. Therefore, the flame exposed to the outside of the cooking appliance transfers to the surrounding environment around the cooking appliance, thus increasing the risk of fire spread.

[0458] In a cooking appliance, a first through hole 52 is provided on the upper side of a lower electronic / electrical component chamber 10b to form a passage required for air in an air intake chamber 10d to flow into the lower electronic / electrical component chamber 10b. In addition, a cold air inlet 5 forming a passage required for introducing external air into the air intake chamber 10d is provided above the first through hole 52.

[0459] Therefore, the flame generated in the lower electronic / electrical component chamber 10b can rise upward through the first through hole 52 to the air intake hole 1, and can rise upward to the upper side of the main body 10 through the cold air inlet 5 in the air intake chamber 10d and be exposed to the outside of the cooking appliance. To prevent this, it is necessary to block the flame generated in the lower electronic / electrical component chamber 10b inside the cooking appliance to prevent the flame from being exposed to the outside of the cooking appliance.

[0460] In view of this, in the present embodiment, a shielding member 60 provided in the air intake chamber 10d is configured to be able to block the first through hole 52 and the cold air suction hole 5 from each other. The shielding member 60 can allow the flame generated in the lower electronic / electrical component chamber 10b to be blocked in the air intake chamber 10d, so that the flame generated in the lower electronic / electrical component chamber 10b can be prevented from being exposed to the outside of the cooking appliance.

[0461] The cooking appliance of the present embodiment including the shielding member 60 as described above can smoothly introduce air into the lower electronic / electrical component chamber 10b while significantly reducing the risk of fire spread due to the flame generated inside the cooking appliance.

[0462] [Another example of the shielding member]

[0463] Figure 29 is a rear perspective view showing a part of a cooking appliance to which another example of the shielding member is applied.

[0464] As Figure 29 shown, a baffle 60 (see Figure 27 ) is not provided in the upper electronic / electrical component chamber 10c, and thus, the upper electronic / electrical component chamber 10c may not be partitioned in the front-rear direction. The shielding member 65 provided in the upper electronic / electrical component chamber 10c can be provided in a form in which the shielding member 65 is directly mounted on the partition plate 50. In one example, the shielding member 65 can be formed in a hexahedral shape including a horizontal surface portion 66 and a vertical surface portion 67.

[0465] The horizontal surface portion 66 forms the upper surface of the shielding member 65 and is configured to shield the first through hole 52 when located at the top of the first through hole 52. In one example, the horizontal surface portion 66 can also form a horizontal plane orthogonal to the vertical axis US.

[0466] The shielding member 65 may further include a vertical surface portion 67. The vertical surface portion 67 may form a side surface of the shielding member 65 and may be disposed between the horizontal surface portion 66 and the partition plate 50. The vertical surface portion 67 may be coupled to the upper surface of the partition plate 50 while spacing the horizontal surface portion 66 from the upper surface of the partition plate 50.

[0467] The shielding member 65 may include a plurality of vertical surface portions 67 surrounding the first through-hole 52. A space surrounding the first through-hole 52 may be formed inside the shielding member 65 including the plurality of vertical surface portions 67.

[0468] Ventilation holes 67a may be defined in at least one of the plurality of vertical surface portions 67. In the present embodiment, the ventilation holes 67a are shown to be defined in respective vertical surface portions 67.

[0469] The ventilation holes 67a may be formed to extend in the horizontal direction through the vertical surface portion 67. The ventilation holes 67a may constitute a passage for communicating the exterior of the shielding member 65 with the interior space of the shielding member 65. Air introduced into the upper electronic / electrical component chamber 10c through the cold air inlet 5 (see Figure 24 ) may be introduced into the shielding member 65 from the exterior of the shielding member 65 through the ventilation holes 67a and then may be introduced into the lower electronic / electrical component chamber 10b through the first through-hole 52.

[0470] The shielding member 65 arranged as described above may provide an effect of significantly reducing the risk of fire spread due to a flame generated inside the cooking appliance and may be effectively installed in the upper electronic / electrical component chamber 10c even without the baffle 55 being installed.

[0471] [Structure of the upper space]

[0472] Figure 30 is a rear perspective view showing the intake state and the exhaust state of a cooking appliance according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 31 is a rear perspective view showing the air flow state inside the cooking appliance as Figure 30 shown. Figure 32 is an enlarged plan view of the vicinity of a common exhaust hole as Figure 30 shown, Figure 33 is an enlarged view of the vicinity of an exhaust duct and its surroundings.

[0473] Referring to Figure 14 、 Figure 30 and Figure 32 , the circulating air discharge hole 11b (see Figure 34) It can be disposed inside the main body 10. The recirculating air discharge hole 11b can form a passage connecting the cooking chamber 10a and the upper space 10i to each other, such that the passage is defined in the upper surface of the cavity 11. In one example, the recirculating air discharge hole 11b can be formed to extend vertically through the upper surface of the cavity 11.

[0474] According to the present embodiment, a plurality of second exhaust holes 3 can be disposed in the upper surface of the main body 10. At least one of the plurality of second exhaust holes 3 can be provided as a common exhaust hole 3a. The common exhaust hole 3a discharges both the air flowing into the upper space 10i by the blowers 100 and 200 and the air flowing into the upper space 10i from the recirculating air discharge hole 11b.

[0475] In one example, the recirculating air discharge hole 11b can be disposed at a position closer to the right end around the lateral center of the cavity 11. For example, the recirculating air discharge hole 11b can be disposed at a position overlapping at least a part of the common exhaust hole 3a in the front-rear direction.

[0476] According to the present embodiment, the plurality of second exhaust holes 3 and the cold air inlet 5 can be disposed in the lateral direction. In one example, at least one of the plurality of second exhaust holes disposed at the position farthest from the cold air inlet 5 can be provided as the common exhaust hole 3a. For example, the cold air inlet 5 can be disposed on the left side of the second exhaust holes 3, and one of the second exhaust holes disposed on the rightmost side among the plurality of second exhaust holes 3 can be provided as the common exhaust hole 3a.

[0477] In another example, at least one of the plurality of second exhaust holes disposed in the lateral direction at the position farthest from the electronic / electrical component chambers 10b, 10c, 10d can be provided as the common exhaust hole 3a.

[0478] In yet another example, at least one of the plurality of second exhaust holes arranged laterally and disposed at the position closest to the extension plate 18 can be provided as the common exhaust hole 3a. In this regard, at least a part of the common exhaust hole 3a can be disposed to overlap the extension plate 18 in the vertical direction.

[0479] In addition, an exhaust duct 70 can be disposed in the upper space 10i. The exhaust duct 70 is configured to guide the air flow discharged from the cooking chamber 10a to the recirculating air discharge hole 11b toward the common exhaust hole 3a.

[0480] In the present embodiment, the recirculating air discharge hole 11b can be disposed at a position closer to the rear side around the front-rear direction center of the cavity 11. For example, the recirculating air discharge hole 11b can be disposed in the upper surface of the cavity 11 and can be disposed at a position adjacent to the right rear corner of the cavity 11.

[0481] The exhaust duct 70 is configured to direct an air flow discharged to the circulating air discharge hole 11b provided at the above-defined position toward the common exhaust hole 3a provided at a position adjacent to the front surface of the main body 10.

[0482] In addition, the cooking appliance of the present embodiment may include an extension plate 18. The extension plate 18 may partition the side space 10e such that a partial area of the side space 10e is separated into an extended upper space 10j. Due to the extension plate 18, the area of the side space 10e above the extension plate 18 may be separated into the extended upper space 10j.

[0483] [Extension plate]

[0484] Referring to Figure 14 、 Figure 30 and Figure 33 , at least a part of the extension plate 18 may be provided in the side space 10e. In the present embodiment, the extension plate 18 is shown to be provided in the side space 10e of a pair of side spaces 10e provided inside the cooking appliance, rather than in the electronic / electrical component chambers 10b, 10c, and 10d.

[0485] In one example, the extension plate 18 may form a horizontal plane orthogonal to the vertical axis. For example, the extension plate 18 may form a plane parallel to the upper surface of the cavity 11.

[0486] Preferably, the upper surface of the extension plate 18 and the upper surface of the cavity 11 may form the same plane. The upper surface of the cavity 11 may define the bottom surface of the upper space 10i, and the upper surface of the extension plate 18 may define the bottom surface of the extended upper space 10j. Therefore, the bottom surface of the upper space 10i and the bottom surface of the extended upper space 10j may be coplanar with each other.

[0487] The extended upper space 10j arranged as above may communicate with the upper space 10i while being located above the side space 10e. That is, the extended upper space 10j may be provided above the side space 10e and on the lateral side of the upper space 10i, and may be connected to the upper space 10i in the lateral direction.

[0488] According to the present embodiment, the upper space 10i and the extended upper space 10j are connected to each other while being provided above the cavity 11. Therefore, exhaust spaces 10i and 10j may be formed above the cavity 11 and the side space 10e. In the present embodiment, the exhaust spaces 10i and 10j may be defined as a single space, and the upper space 10i and the extended upper space 10j are connected to each other into the single space while being provided above the cavity 11 and the extension plate 18.

[0489] The exhaust spaces 10i and 10j formed above the cavity 11 and the extension plate 18 can communicate with the exhaust holes 2, 3, and 4 provided in the upper surface of the main body 10. The exhaust holes 2, 3, and 4 can connect the upper space 10i and the extended upper space 10j to a single space therebetween (i.e., the exhaust spaces 10i and 10j) and communicate with the outside of the main body 10.

[0490] The side space 10e and the rear space 10f can communicate with the lower space. The side space 10e and the rear space 10f can be connected to the lower space in the vertical direction or can be connected to the lower space in the lateral direction. The air intake hole 1 can communicate with the lower space, and the side space 10e and the rear space 10f can communicate with the air intake hole 1 through the lower space.

[0491] A part of the extension plate 18 can be provided in the rear space 10f. Accordingly, a part 18a of the extension plate 18 (hereinafter, referred to as "the side partition portion of the extension plate") can be provided in the side space 10e, and another part 18b of the extension plate 18 (hereinafter, referred to as "the rear partition portion of the extension plate") can be provided in the rear space 10f.

[0492] As described above, the side partition portion 18a of the extension plate 18 can partition the side space 10e such that a part of the region of the side space 10e is separated into the extended upper space 10j. In addition, the rear partition portion 18b of the extension plate 18 can also partition the rear space 10f such that a part of the region of the rear space 10f is separated into the extended upper space 10j.

[0493] That is, the extension plate 18 can divide the rear space 10j and the side space 10f such that a part of each of the side space 10f and the rear space 10e is separated into the extended upper space 10a.

[0494] The extension plate 18 can include a first coupling portion 18c. The first coupling portion 18c can be provided for coupling between the extension plate 18 and the cavity 11. In one example, the first coupling portion 18c can be formed to protrude in the horizontal direction from at least one of the side partition portion 18a and the rear partition portion 18b. The first coupling portion 18c can be coupled to the cavity 11 while contacting the upper surface of the cavity 11 in the vertical direction.

[0495] The coupling between the first coupling portion 18c and the cavity 11 can be performed by a joining method such as welding or can be performed by a fastening method such as using screws.

[0496] In the present embodiment, it is shown that the first coupling portion 18c protrudes from the side partition portion 18a in the lateral direction. In another example, the first coupling portion 18c may be formed to protrude in the forward direction from the rear partition portion 18b. In yet another example, the first coupling portion 18c may protrude vertically from at least one of the side partition portion 18a and the rear partition portion 18b and be coupled to the side surface of the cavity 11.

[0497] In addition, the extension plate 18 may include at least one of a second coupling portion 18d and a third coupling portion 18e. The second coupling portion 18d and the third coupling portion 18e may be provided for coupling between the extension plate 18 and the box body 13.

[0498] The second coupling portion 18d may be formed to protrude from the side partition portion 18a or the first coupling portion 18c. In the present embodiment, it is shown that the first coupling portion 18c protrudes from the side partition portion 18a in the horizontal direction, and the second coupling portion 18d protrudes from the first coupling portion 18c in the vertical direction.

[0499] In one example, the second coupling portion 18d may constitute a vertical wall orthogonal to the lateral axis. A flat portion parallel to the upper surface of the box body 13 may be formed at the upper end of the second coupling portion 18d.

[0500] The third coupling portion 18e may be formed to protrude from the rear partition portion 18b. In one example, the third coupling portion 18e may constitute a vertical wall orthogonal to the front-rear axis. A flat portion parallel to the upper surface of the box body 13 may be formed at the upper end of the third coupling portion 18e.

[0501] The vertical lengths of the second coupling portion 18d and the third coupling portion may be set to lengths corresponding to the distance between the extension plate 18 and the box body 13. The second coupling portion 18d and the third coupling portion 18e formed as above may be coupled to the box body 13 while being positioned below the box body 13.

[0502] The extension plate 18 may support the box body 13 via the coupling between the second coupling portion 18d and the box body 13 and the coupling between the third coupling portion 18e and the box body 13, so that the upper surface of the box body 13 does not sag downward. In addition, the extension plate 18 may be coupled to various structures at various positions using the first coupling portion 18c, the second coupling portion 18d, and the third coupling portion 18e, and thus can be stably fixedly installed inside the cooking appliance.

[0503] As an example, the second coupling portion 18d may be disposed between the upper space 10i and the extended upper space 10j. That is, the second coupling portion 18d may be provided in the exhaust spaces 10i and 10j in the form of a vertical wall that laterally and partially blocks the upper space 10i and the extended upper space 10j from each other.

[0504] The second coupling portion 18d may have a plurality of ventilation holes defined therein. Each ventilation hole may be formed to extend through the second coupling portion 18d in the lateral direction, and the ventilation holes may be provided in most of the area of the second coupling portion 18d.

[0505] As described above, the second coupling portion 18d having a plurality of ventilation holes defined therein may serve as a structure for coupling between the extension plate 18 and the cabinet 13 while minimizing the interference with the air flow in the exhaust spaces 10i and 10j caused by the second coupling portion 18d.

[0506] In the present embodiment, the third coupling portion 18e is shown to be disposed in the region where the rear space 10f and the upper space 10i overlap each other or in a region very close thereto. The third coupling portion 18e may be disposed at a position adjacent to the rear fan assembly 100 provided in the rear space 10f.

[0507] The electronic / electrical components associated with the rear fan assembly 100 (e.g., electronic / electrical components such as capacitors connected to the rear fan assembly 100) may be coupled to the third coupling portion 18e disposed as described above. That is, the third coupling portion 18e may provide a structure for coupling between the extension plate 18 and the cabinet 13 and provide a structure for mounting the electronic / electrical components associated with the rear fan assembly 100.

[0508] [Exhaust Duct]

[0509] Figure 34 is a side cross-sectional view showing the exhaust duct, Figure 35 is a plan view showing a state in which the duct bracket is mounted on the upper surface of the cavity, Figure 36 is a view showing a state in which the exhaust duct is mounted on the duct bracket.

[0510] Referring to Figures 33 to 35 , the exhaust duct 70 may have a flow path defined therein that is connected to the circulating air discharge hole 11a. In one example, the exhaust duct 70 may be formed in a polyhedral shape that has a length much larger than each of its lateral length and vertical length in the front-rear direction.

[0511] The rear end of the exhaust duct 70 can be disposed between the rear surface of the cavity 11 and the circulating air discharge hole 11b. The front end of the exhaust duct 70 can be disposed between the center in the front-rear direction of the cavity 11 and the front surface of the cavity 11.

[0512] For example, the rear end of the exhaust duct 70 can be disposed at a position very close to the rear surface of the cavity 11, and the front end of the exhaust duct 70 can be disposed at a position very close to the front surface of the cavity 11.

[0513] A space is formed inside the exhaust duct 70, and this space can constitute a flow path 70a that is connected to the circulating air discharge hole 11b and defined inside the exhaust duct 70. A duct inlet 70b and a duct outlet 70c can be defined in the exhaust duct 70.

[0514] The duct inlet 70b is configured to open the flow path 70a toward the circulating air discharge hole 11b in a state of being disposed on one side in the longitudinal direction of the flow path 70a. The duct outlet 70c is configured to open the flow path inside the exhaust duct 70 toward the common exhaust hole 3a.

[0515] In one example, the duct inlet 70b can be formed in a form in which the bottom surface of the exhaust duct 70 is open. At least a part of the duct inlet 70b can overlap with the circulating air discharge hole 11b in the vertical direction.

[0516] In addition, the duct outlet 70c can be formed in a form in which a part of the upper surface of the exhaust duct 70 is open. The duct outlet 70c can be disposed at a position closer to the front end around the center in the front-rear direction of the exhaust duct 70. The duct outlet 70c can be disposed adjacent to the common exhaust hole 3a.

[0517] In the lateral direction, the duct outlet 70c can be disposed at a position close to the common exhaust hole 3a among the plurality of exhaust holes 2, 3, and 4 disposed in the lateral direction. The duct outlet 70c can be disposed to overlap at least a part of the common exhaust hole 3a in the vertical direction.

[0518] The cooking appliance of the present embodiment can further include a humidity sensor 7. The humidity sensor 7 is installed in the exhaust duct 70 and is configured to measure the humidity in the flow path 70a.

[0519] The humidity sensor 7 is configured to measure the humidity of the air introduced into the flow path 70b through the circulating air discharge hole 11a in the cooking chamber. In order to effectively measure the humidity of the air introduced into the flow path 70a by the humidity sensor 7, a flow path 70a with a sufficient length is required.

[0520] Therefore, the circulating air discharge hole 11b can be disposed at a position closer to the rear end of the upper space 10i, the duct outlet 70c can be disposed at a position closer to the front end of the upper space 10i, and the exhaust duct 70 can be formed to have a sufficient length to cover them.

[0521] The exhaust duct 70 of the present embodiment can be disposed between the upper surface of the cavity 11 and the upper surface of the cabinet 13 in the vertical direction. The exhaust duct 70 can include a vertically variable length section 71.

[0522] The vertically variable length section 71 is a section where the vertical length of the exhaust duct 70 changes along the length direction of the flow path 70a. For example, the vertically variable length section 71 can be a section where the vertical length of the exhaust duct 70 changes in the front-rear direction.

[0523] According to the present embodiment, the circulating air discharge hole 11b defined in the cavity 11 is disposed at a vertical height lower than the vertical height of the second exhaust hole 3 defined in the upper surface of the cabinet 13. In the vertically variable length section 71, the vertical length of the exhaust duct 70 can also decrease as the exhaust duct 70 faces one side (e.g., the rear side) in the length direction of the flow path 70a.

[0524] That is to say, in the vertically variable length section 71, the upper surface of the exhaust duct 70 can form an inclined surface, and the vertical height of the inclined surface decreases as the exhaust duct 70 extends toward one side in the longitudinal direction of the flow path 70a.

[0525] In other words, in the vertically variable length section 71, the vertical length of the exhaust duct 70 can also increase as the exhaust duct 70 faces the other side (e.g., the front side) in the length direction of the flow path 70a.

[0526] In the vertically variable length section 71, a channel space 10k can be defined between the upper surface of the exhaust duct 70 and the upper surface of the cabinet 13. The channel space 10k can form a channel connecting the space on one side in the lateral direction of the exhaust duct 70 in the upper space 10i and the space on the other side in the lateral direction of the exhaust duct 70 in the upper space 10i, such that the channel is located above the exhaust duct 70. In the present embodiment, the channel space 10k can be formed in such a form that the vertical dimension of the channel space 10k increases as the channel space 10k extends toward the rear side.

[0527] In one example, the cooking appliance of the present embodiment can further include a duct bracket 75. The duct bracket 75 can be provided for the connection between the exhaust duct 70 and the cavity 11. The duct bracket 75 can be connected to the upper surface of the cavity 11. In addition, the exhaust duct 70 can be detachably connected to the duct bracket 75.

[0528] In one example, the pipe support 75 may include a support body 76 and a flange 77.

[0529] The support body 76 is part of the pipe support 75 and is provided for the connection between the pipe support 75 and the exhaust pipe 70. The support body 76 may be connected to the upper surface of the cavity 11 and to the exhaust pipe 70.

[0530] The flange 77 is part of the pipe support 75 and is provided for the connection between the pipe support 75 and the cavity 11. The flange 77 engages with the upper surface of the cavity 11 to connect the support body 76 to the upper surface of the cavity 11.

[0531] The flange 77 may form a plane parallel to the upper surface of the cavity 11 and may be configured to contact the upper surface of the cavity 11 in the vertical direction. The connection between the flange 77 and the cavity 11 may be performed by a joining method such as welding.

[0532] Referring to Figure 35 and Figure 36 , a connection surface 72 may be provided on the exhaust pipe 70. The connection surface 72 may be provided at the lower end of the exhaust pipe 70 and may form a surface that contacts the upper surface of the support body 76 in the vertical direction. In one example, the upper surface of the support body 76 may form a horizontal plane orthogonal to the vertical axis, and the connection surface 72 may form a plane parallel thereto.

[0533] The pipe support 75 may further include a first pipe connection portion 78 connected to the connection surface 72. In a state where the connection surface 72 contacts the support body 76 in the vertical direction, the first pipe connection portion 78 may be detachably connected to the connection surface 72.

[0534] In one example, the first pipe connection portion 78 may include a vertical protrusion 78a and a horizontal protrusion 78b. The vertical protrusion 78a may be formed to protrude upward from the support body 76. The horizontal protrusion 78b may be formed to protrude from the vertical protrusion 78a in the horizontal direction (more specifically, in the front-rear direction).

[0535] In one example, the horizontal protrusion 78b may protrude backward from the upper end of the vertical protrusion 78a. In the present embodiment, the first pipe connection portion 78 is shown protruding from the support body 76 in a "Γ" shape.

[0536] The vertical protrusion 78a may pass through a slit 73 formed in the connection surface 72 to pass through the connection surface 72 in the vertical direction. The horizontal protrusion 78b protruding from the upper end of the vertical protrusion 78a may limit the upward movement of the pipe support 75 while being located above the connection surface 72.

[0537] The slit 73 can be defined such that the entire first pipe connection portion 78 can extend through the slit 73. When the exhaust pipe moves backward such that the horizontal protrusion 78b can move to the rear side of the slit 73 while passing through the slit 73 and being disposed above the connection surface 72 and the connection surface 72 contacts the upper surface of the bracket body 76, the horizontal protrusion 78b can restrict the upward movement of the pipe bracket 75 while being located on the upper side of the connection surface 72.

[0538] The exhaust pipe 70 can be temporarily fixed to the pipe bracket 75 via the mating connection between the first pipe connection portion 78 and the connection surface 72. That is, the position of the exhaust pipe 70 relative to the pipe bracket 75 can be temporarily fixed via the mating connection between the first pipe connection portion 78 and the connection surface 72.

[0539] In one example, a plurality of first pipe connection portions 78 can be included in the pipe bracket 75 and can be arranged to be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance in the lateral direction. Accordingly, the exhaust pipe 70 can be temporarily fixed at a plurality of points arranged along the lateral direction using the first pipe connection portions 78.

[0540] The pipe bracket 75 can further include a second pipe connection portion 79. The second pipe connection portion 79 can be configured to couple the exhaust pipe 70 and the pipe bracket 75 to each other using a fastening member s such as a screw.

[0541] In one example, the fastening member s can pass through the upper surface of the bracket body 76 and the connection surface 72 to couple the pipe bracket 75 to the exhaust pipe 70. The second pipe connection portion 79 can be configured to be fastened to the fastening member s.

[0542] In one example, the second pipe connection portion 79 can form a convex surface upward from the upper surface of the bracket body 76, and a fastening hole for fastening with the fastening member s can be defined in the second pipe connection portion 79.

[0543] As described above, the exhaust pipe 70 can be installed on the upper surface of the cavity 11 via the pipe bracket 75.

[0544] In order to install the exhaust pipe 70 on the cavity 11 such that the exhaust pipe 70 can be removed from the cavity 11 as needed, it is necessary to couple the exhaust pipe 70 to the cavity 11 using a fastening member such as a screw.

[0545] However, in this case, a fastening hole for screw fastening should be formed in the cavity 11, and it is not preferable to impose unnecessary damage on the cavity 11 due to the fastening hole.

[0546] In addition, during the process of fastening the screw to the cavity 11, damage to the cavity 11 may be further increased, and during the process of removing the screw from the cavity 11 or re-fastening the screw to the cavity 11 to disassemble and reassemble the exhaust duct 70, the cavity 11 may be severely damaged.

[0547] To prevent breakage of the cavity 11, the exhaust duct 70 can be joined to the cavity 11 by welding or bonding. However, in this case, it becomes very difficult to remove the exhaust duct 70 from the cavity 11, and during the process of removing the exhaust duct 70 from the cavity 11, the cavity 11 may be damaged.

[0548] Taking this fact into account, in the present embodiment, the pipe bracket 75 is joined to the cavity 11 by welding or bonding, and the exhaust duct 70 can be detachably coupled to the pipe bracket 75.

[0549] Therefore, the cavity 11 and the pipe bracket 75 are joined to each other by welding or bonding, whereby damage to the cavity 11 due to perforation or the like can be minimized.

[0550] In addition, the exhaust duct 70 is detachably coupled to the pipe bracket 75 joined to the cavity 11 as described above. Therefore, the exhaust duct 70 can be easily and quickly removed from the cavity 11 as needed, and damage to the cavity 11 that may occur during the disassembly and reassembly of the exhaust duct 70 can be minimized.

[0551] In addition, through the fitting connection between the first pipe connection portion 78 and the connection surface 72, the connection position of the exhaust duct 70 relative to the pipe bracket 75 can be guided, and the exhaust duct 70 can be temporarily fixed to the pipe bracket 75. Therefore, the installation of the exhaust duct 70 can be performed more easily and quickly.

[0552] [An example of a lamp shade]

[0553] Figure 37 is an enlarged view of the lamp shade and its surroundings, Figure 38 is Figure 37 a plan view of the lamp shade shown.

[0554] Referring to Figure 31 、 Figure 37 and Figure 38 , the lamp 8 can be provided inside the main body 10. The lamp 8 is configured to irradiate light into the cooking chamber 10a.

[0555] In one example, the lamp 8 can be installed on the upper surface of the cavity 11. At least a part of the lamp 8 can be exposed above the cavity 11. For example, a part of the lamp 8 installed on the upper surface of the cavity 11 can be exposed in the upper space 10i.

[0556] The cooking appliance according to this embodiment may include a lamp shade 80. The lamp shade 80 is configured to cover the lamp 8. The lamp shade 80 may cover the lamp 8 while being disposed above the cavity 11 such that the space around the lamp 8 is blocked from the upper space 10i.

[0557] In one example, the lamp shade 80 may include a cover upper surface portion 81 and a cover side surface portion 82. The cover upper surface portion 81 is configured to cover the upper side of the lamp 8, and the cover side surface portion 82 is configured to surround the lateral sides of the lamp.

[0558] In one example, the cover upper surface portion 81 may form a horizontal plane that is disposed at a predetermined distance from the upper surface of the cavity 11 in the vertical direction. The cover side surface portion 82 may form a vertical wall surface that connects the upper surface of the cavity 11 and the cover upper surface portion 81 to each other.

[0559] In one example, the lamp shade 80 may be formed in a hexahedron shape with an open lower side. The lamp 8 may also be disposed in a manner surrounded by the cover upper surface portion 81 and the cover side surface portion 82.

[0560] The lamp shade 80 may further include a close contact portion 83. The close contact portion 83 may be configured to make surface contact with the upper surface of the cavity 11 and be connected to the lower end of the cover side portion 82. In one example, the close contact portion 83 may extend horizontally from the lower end of the cover side portion 82 and may form a plane parallel to the upper surface of the cavity 11.

[0561] The close contact portion 83 may make surface contact with the upper surface of the cavity 11 and may be used to allow the lamp shade 80 to be in close contact with the upper surface of the cavity 11. Thus, the space inside the lamp shade 80 that surrounds the lamp 8 can be reliably blocked from the upper space 10i, and air inflow from the upper space 10i into the lamp shade 80 can be effectively suppressed.

[0562] The lamp shade 80 of this embodiment may be disposed between the upper surface of the cavity 11 and the upper surface of the cabinet 13 in the vertical direction. Additionally, the lamp shade 80 may be disposed adjacent to the front surface of the main body 10.

[0563] According to this embodiment, the front plate 12 may be formed such that the upper end of the front plate 12 is disposed at a position higher than the position of the upper surface of the cavity 11. The upper end surface portion 12a may be disposed at the upper end of the front plate 12. The upper end surface portion 12a may form a horizontal surface that protrudes backward and is positioned on top of the cavity 11.

[0564] The lamp shade 80 may be disposed adjacent to the front plate 12. In one example, the lamp shade 80 may be disposed at a position where the front end of the lamp shade 80 is in close contact with the rear surface of the front plate 12.

[0565] The upper surface portion 81 of the lamp cover 80 may also form an inclined surface whose vertical height varies in the front-rear direction. In one example, the upper surface portion 81 of the cover may form an inclined surface whose vertical level decreases as the upper surface portion 81 of the cover extends toward the rear side.

[0566] The lamp cover 80 may be coupled to the front plate 12. The lamp cover 80 may include a cover coupling portion 84. The cover coupling portion 84 may protrude rearward from the lamp cover 80 to contact the upper end surface portion 12a of the front plate 12 in the vertical direction.

[0567] The cover coupling portion 84 may be formed in a shape that protrudes upward and rearward from the front end of the upper surface portion 81 of the cover. In one example, the cover coupling portion 84 may be formed to protrude in a "Γ" shape from the front end of the upper surface portion 81 of the cover. In one example, the coupling between the cover coupling portion 84 and the upper end surface portion 12a may be performed using a fastening member s such as a screw.

[0568] According to the present embodiment, the lamp cover 80 is coupled only to the front plate 12 and not to the cavity 11. For example, the lamp cover 80 only closely contacts the upper surface of the cavity 11 via the close contact portion 83 and is not coupled to the cavity 11. This is intended to allow the lamp cover 80 to be detachably coupled to the main body 10 while avoiding unnecessary damage to the cavity 11.

[0569] To this end, the lamp cover 80 may be coupled to the front plate 12 via the cover coupling portion 84 and the upper end portion 12a, and thus may be detachably coupled to the main body 10. That is, the cover coupling portion 84 may be configured to couple the lamp cover 80 to the front plate 12 rather than to the cavity 11.

[0570] According to the present embodiment, at least a part of the lamp 8 is exposed inside the cooking chamber 10a to illuminate the cooking chamber 10a. In addition, in order to connect the lamp 8 to other electronic / electrical components, a part of the lamp 8 is exposed outside the cooking chamber 10a. For example, the connection between the wire for power supply and the lamp 8 may be made through the part of the lamp 8 that is exposed outside the cooking chamber 10a.

[0571] According to the present embodiment, the lamp 8 is installed on the upper surface of the cavity 11, and correspondingly, a part of the lamp 8 is exposed to the upper space 10i, which is the space above the cavity 11. When this part of the lamp 8 is exposed to the upper space 10i, the lamp 8 may be exposed to oil vapor and heat.

[0572] The cooking gas sucked by the blowers 100 and 200 and then flowing through the upper space 10i may include oil vapor, hot steam, etc. The cooking gas including oil vapor and hot steam may contact the lamp 8 while flowing through the upper space 10i, resulting in contamination, malfunction, etc. of the lamp 8.

[0573] In view of this situation, in the present embodiment, the lamp cover 80 is installed in the upper space 10i. The lamp cover 80 can protect the lamp 8 from oil vapor and heat by covering the lamp 8 while being disposed above the cavity 11, so that the space around the lamp 8 is blocked from the upper space 10i.

[0574] In a conventional cooking appliance, the blower is disposed in the upper space rather than the rear space. In this case, sufficient space for installing the blower in the upper space must be ensured. In such a conventional cooking appliance, the vertical length of the upper space should be much greater than the vertical length of the upper space 10i of the cooking appliance of the present embodiment.

[0575] In addition, since the blower is disposed in the upper space, in a conventional cooking appliance, a flow path defining member for defining an exhaust flow path in the upper space is installed in the upper space. The flow path defining member defines an exhaust flow path that connects an exhaust hole provided in the front surface of the conventional cooking appliance and the blower to each other, so that the exhaust flow path is located in the upper space.

[0576] In a conventional cooking appliance, the flow path defining member may be formed in a shape including a pair of side walls and a bottom surface, the pair of side walls being disposed to be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance in the lateral direction, and the bottom surface connecting the side walls to each other on its lower side. For example, the flow path defining member may be formed in a "U" shape.

[0577] The flow path defining member may be installed on the upper side of the cavity. The flow path defining member may be detachably installed on the upper side of the cavity, and the lower surface of the flow path defining member is placed on the upper surface of the cavity.

[0578] The lamp installed on the upper surface of the cavity is disposed below the flow path defining member. That is, in a conventional cooking appliance, the lamp is covered by the bottom surface of the flow path defining member and is not exposed to the exhaust flow path. Therefore, in a conventional cooking appliance, no separate structure for covering the lamp is required other than the flow path defining member.

[0579] In contrast, in the cooking appliance of the present embodiment, the blowers 100, 200 are disposed in the rear space 10f. Therefore, in the cooking appliance of the present embodiment, it may not be necessary to ensure space for installing the blowers 100, 200 in the upper space 10i either. In the cooking appliance of the present embodiment, the vertical length of the upper space 10i can be significantly reduced compared to the vertical length of the upper space of the conventional cooking appliance.

[0580] As the vertical length of the upper space 10i decreases, it becomes difficult to secure in the upper space 10i the space required for structures such as a flow path defining member for mounting a conventional cooking appliance. Further, in the cooking appliance according to the present embodiment, the blowers 100 and 200 and the flow path defining member 30 are provided in the rear space 10f, so that a structure for defining an exhaust flow path does not need to be mounted in the upper space 10i.

[0581] As the vertical length of the upper space 10i decreases, the vertical length of the cooking appliance can be shortened, and the overall size of the cooking chamber can be reduced with respect to the volume of the cooking chamber 10a. However, since structures such as a flow path defining construction of a conventional cooking appliance are not provided in the upper space 10i, the lamp 8 is exposed in the upper space 10i.

[0582] In view of this situation, in the present embodiment, the lamp shade 80 is mounted in the upper space 10i, and the lamp shade 80 can also cover the lamp 8 in a state of being provided above the cavity 11 so that the space surrounding the lamp 8 is blocked from the upper space 10i. Accordingly, it is possible to satisfy both the purpose of reducing the vertical length of the upper space 10i and the purpose of protecting the lamp 8 from oil vapor and heat.

[0583] [Other examples of lamp shades]

[0584] Figure 39 FIG. is a rear perspective view of a cooking appliance showing another example of applying a lamp shade, and Figure 40 FIG. is showing from as Figure 39 FIG. is a perspective view of a lamp shade separated from the cooking appliance shown. Figure 41 FIG. is showing Figure 40 FIG. is an exploded perspective view of the lamp shade shown in an exploded state, Figure 42 FIG. is an exploded perspective view of a ventilation grille and a lamp shade in an exploded state.

[0585] Referring to Figures 39 to 41 , the lamp shade 85 can be provided in a form including an opening / closing cover 86b. The lamp shade 85 can include a shade upper surface portion 86, a shade side surface portion 87, a close contact portion 88, and a shade coupling portion 89 in a manner similar to the lamp shade shown in the above embodiment, and can further include an opening / closing cover 86b.

[0586] A through hole 86a can be defined in the upper surface of the lamp shade 85 of the present embodiment. The through hole 86a can open the upper side of the inner space of the lamp shade 85, and can be formed to extend in the vertical direction through the shade upper surface portion 86. The lamp 8 can be exposed through the through hole 86a at a position on the top of the lamp shade 85.

[0587] The opening / closing cover 86b is installed in the lamp housing 85, and more specifically, in the upper surface portion 86 of the cover, to open and close the through hole 86a. In one example, the opening / closing cover 86b may be detachably coupled to the upper surface portion 86 of the cover. For example, the opening / closing cover 86b may cover the through hole 86a while being located at the top of the through hole 86a, and may be removed from the upper surface of the cover 86 while being located at the top of the cover 86.

[0588] Referring to Figures 39 to 42 , the lamp housing 85 may be disposed below one of the plurality of second exhaust holes 2. For example, at least a portion of the lamp housing 85 may be disposed below one of the plurality of second exhaust holes 2 in the vertical direction.

[0589] In one example, the cooking appliance may further include at least one ventilation grille 9. Each ventilation grille 9 may be coupled to the cabinet 13 to cover each of the second exhaust hole 3 or the cold air inlet 5. Each ventilation grille 9 may be detachably coupled to the cabinet 13.

[0590] For example, each ventilation grille 9 is disposed on the upper surface of the cabinet 13, covers the second exhaust hole 3 or the cold air inlet 5, and is lifted upward from the upper surface of the cabinet 13 to be separated from the cabinet 13.

[0591] In one example, the opening / closing cover 86b may be disposed below one of the plurality of second exhaust holes 2 in the vertical direction. In the vertical direction, the through hole 86a may be disposed between the second exhaust hole 3 and the lamp 8, and the opening / closing cover 86b may be disposed between the ventilation grille 9 installed in the second exhaust hole 3 and the lamp 8. In a top view, when the ventilation grille 9 has been removed from the second exhaust hole 3, the opening / closing cover 86b is visible at the position on the top of the cooking appliance. In this state, the opening / closing cover 86b has been removed, so that the lamp 8 is visible at the position on the top of the cooking appliance.

[0592] Since the lamp housing 85 and the opening / closing cover 86b are installed inside the main body 10 in the above-described form, the maintenance work of the lamp 8 can be performed in a state where the ventilation grille 9 and the opening / closing cover 86b are sequentially removed from the cabinet 13 and the upper surface portion 86 of the cover.

[0593] That is, the lamp housing 85 according to the present embodiment can access the lamp 8 only by a simple operation of separating the ventilation grille 9 and the opening / closing cover 86b, and thus has an effect of being able to easily and quickly perform the maintenance operation of the lamp 8.

[0594] [Exhaust through the exhaust space]

[0595] Referring to Figure 16 and Figures 31 to 33, an upper space 10i can be formed above the cavity 11. Additionally, an extended upper space 10j can be formed above the side space 10b, rather than above the electronic / electrical component chambers 10e, 10c, 10d.

[0596] As described above, the upper space 10i and the extended upper space 10j are connected to each other while being disposed above the cavity 11. Thus, the exhaust spaces 10i and 10j can be formed above the cavity 11 and the side space 10e.

[0597] The extended upper space 10j can be defined by an extension plate 18 that vertically divides the side space 10e. In the present embodiment, by allowing the exhaust spaces 10i and 10j to be a space that includes not only the upper space 10i but also the extended upper space 10j, the extension plate 18 can be used to extend the exhaust spaces 10i and 10j in the lateral direction. Additionally, the extension plate 18 can also function to block the side space 10e from the exhaust spaces 10i and 10j.

[0598] When the exhaust spaces 10i and 10j extend to a space that includes both the upper space 10i and the extended upper space 10j, the size of the flow path required for the air flow discharged through the exhaust spaces 10i and 10j to the second exhaust hole 3 can be increased. In particular, the sizes of the exhaust spaces 10i and 10j can further laterally increase the size of the extended upper space 10j.

[0599] That is, the extension plate 18 according to the present embodiment divides the side space 10e such that the extended upper space 10j that can be connected to the upper space 10i can be formed, thereby providing the effect of increasing the sizes of the exhaust spaces 10i and 10j.

[0600] As described above, in the cooking apparatus according to the present embodiment, the blowers 100 and 200 are disposed in the rear space 10i instead of the upper space 10f. Thus, since the space required for installing the blowers 100 and 200 is not needed in the upper space 10i, the vertical length of the upper space 10i can be reduced compared to the case where the blowers are installed in the upper space 10.

[0601] In the cooking appliance according to the present embodiment, one of the methods for reducing the total size of the cooking appliance while minimizing the reduction in the volume of the cooking chamber (i.e., the method for reducing the total vertical length of the cooking appliance while minimizing the reduction in the vertical length of the cooking chamber) is to reduce the vertical length of the upper space 10i.

[0602] In view of this fact, in the cooking appliance according to the present embodiment, the vertical length of the upper space 10i is set to be less than the vertical length of the upper space of a conventional cooking appliance. That is, in the cooking appliance of the present embodiment, the vertical length of the upper space 10i is set to be significantly less than the vertical length in which the rear fan assembly 100 or the corner fan assembly 200 can be provided.

[0603] As described above, when the length in the vertical direction of the upper space 10i decreases, the volume of the upper space 10i necessarily decreases. In this regard, the upper space 10i is related to exhaust. Thus, when the volume of the upper space 10i decreases, the size of the flow path required for the flow of the air discharged to the second exhaust hole 3 necessarily decreases by the amount of the volume reduction.

[0604] When the size of the flow path required for the flow of the air discharged to the second exhaust hole 3 decreases, the exhaust performance of the cooking appliance inevitably deteriorates. In addition, when the exhaust performance of the cooking appliance deteriorates, the intake performance of the cooking appliance also inevitably deteriorates, and ultimately, the performance of the cooking appliance for removing cooking gas deteriorates.

[0605] In view of this situation, in the present embodiment, the extended upper space 10e is blocked from the side space 10e via the extension plate 18 that divides the upper and lower side spaces 10j, and the extended upper space 10j is communicated with the upper space 10i. Therefore, the total size of the exhaust spaces 10i and 10j including the upper space 10i can be increased. Accordingly, the size of the flow path required for the flow of the air discharged to the second exhaust hole 3 through the exhaust spaces 10i and 10j can be effectively increased.

[0606] As described above, when the size of the flow path required for the flow of the air discharged to the second exhaust hole 3 through the exhaust spaces 10i and 10j increases, the exhaust performance of the cooking appliance can be improved accordingly. As a result, the performance of the cooking appliance for removing cooking gas can be improved.

[0607] In one example, structures such as an exhaust duct 70 and a lamp cover 80 are arranged in the exhaust spaces 10i and 10j. These structures have a shape that protrudes from the upper surface of the cavity 11 into the exhaust spaces 10a and 10j to perform their respective functions.

[0608] For example, the exhaust duct 70 is formed in a shape that protrudes from the upper surface of the cavity 11 and has a flow path defined therein for the air flow discharged from the cooking chamber. The lamp cover 80 is formed in a shape that protrudes from the upper surface of the cavity 11 to cover the upper side of the lamp and is coupled to the front plate 12.

[0609] Each of the exhaust duct 70 and the lamp cover 80 may be formed in a shape including an inclined surface. That is, each of the exhaust duct 70 and the lamp cover 80 may be formed in a shape that inevitably protrudes from the upper surface of the cavity 11 to perform respective functions, but may be formed in a shape configured to reduce the flow resistance generated by the exhaust duct 70 and the lamp cover 80 in the exhaust spaces 10a and 10j.

[0610] That is, according to the present embodiment, the sizes of the exhaust spaces 10i and 10j are increased by the extended upper space 10j, so that the size of the flow path required for the flow of air discharged through the exhaust spaces 10i and 10j to the second exhaust hole 3 is increased. Each of the exhaust duct 70 and the lamp cover 80 provided in the exhaust spaces 10i and 10j is formed in a shape in which its flow resistance can be reduced, so that the flow of air discharged through the exhaust spaces 10i and 10j to the second exhaust hole 3 can proceed smoothly.

[0611] Therefore, the cooking appliance of the present embodiment can provide cooking gas removal performance equal to or higher than that of a conventional cooking appliance having a similar cooking ability, while having a total size smaller than that of a conventional cooking appliance having a similar cooking ability.

[0612] In addition, the extension plate 18 can be used as a blocking wall that blocks the side space 10e and the exhaust spaces 10i and 10j from each other. Accordingly, the side space 10e can be blocked from the exhaust spaces 10i and 10j via the extension plate 18.

[0613] That is, a space in which the upper space 10i and the extended upper space 10j communicate with each other is formed via the extension plate 18 above the extension plate 18, while the side space 10e and the exhaust spaces 10i and 10j are blocked from each other via the extension plate 18.

[0614] According to the present embodiment, the side space 10e is connected to the lower space defined between the air inlet hole 1 and the cavity 11. Therefore, the side space 10e can be referred to as a space connected to the air inlet hole 1. In addition, the exhaust spaces 10i, 10j can be referred to as spaces communicating with the second exhaust hole 3. That is, the side space 10e can be referred to as a space related to air intake, and the exhaust spaces 10i and 10j can be referred to as spaces related to gas discharge.

[0615] The extension plate 18 can block the exhaust spaces 10i and 10j from the side space 10e, thereby blocking the space related to gas discharge from the space related to air intake. Therefore, the space related to exhaust is increased by the extended upper space 10j, and the space occupied by the side space 10e increases the space related to intake.

[0616] That is to say, since the exhaust spaces 10i and 10j and the side space 10e are blocked from each other via the extension plate 18, the spaces involved in gas discharge and the spaces involved in air intake can respectively ensure sufficient sizes required for gas discharge and air intake.

[0617] In addition, since the exhaust spaces 10i and 10j and the side space 10e are blocked from each other via the extension plate 18, air in the exhaust spaces 10i and 10j can be effectively prevented from being sucked back into the blowers 100 and 200 again, that is, the backflow phenomenon, thereby effectively improving the cooking gas discharge performance of the cooking appliance.

[0618] In one example, in the cooking appliance of the present embodiment, a plurality of second exhaust holes 3 may be provided. Each of the second exhaust holes 3 may be defined in the upper surface of the main body 10, may be provided at a position adjacent to the front surface of the main body 10, and may communicate with the exhaust spaces 10i and 10j.

[0619] In the main body 10, a cold air inlet 5 and a plurality of second exhaust holes 3 may be defined, and the cold air inlet 5 and the plurality of second exhaust holes 3 may be arranged in the transverse direction. In addition, one of the plurality of second exhaust holes 3 may be provided as a common exhaust hole 3a.

[0620] In the present embodiment, it is shown that the cold air inlet 5 is provided on the left side of the second exhaust holes 3, and the cold air inlet provided on the rightmost side among the plurality of second exhaust holes 3 is set as the common exhaust hole 3a.

[0621] At least a part of the common exhaust hole 3a may be set to overlap at least a part of the pipe outlet 70c provided in the exhaust pipe 70. That is to say, in a top view, at least a part of the pipe outlet 70c may be exposed upward through the common exhaust hole 3a. Therefore, the air discharged through the pipe outlet 70c can be effectively discharged through the common exhaust hole 3a.

[0622] A part of the air introduced into the electronic / electrical component chambers 10b, 10c, and 10d through the cold air inlet 5 may be introduced into the cooking chamber 10a. The air introduced into the cooking chamber 10a, together with the steam, gas, etc. generated in the cooking chamber 10a during the cooking process of the cooking appliance, may be discharged into the exhaust pipe 70.

[0623] The air introduced into the exhaust pipe 70 may be discharged through the pipe outlet 70c, and the air discharged from the exhaust pipe 70 may be discharged to the outside of the cooking appliance through the common exhaust hole 3a. That is to say, the common exhaust hole 3a can serve as an outlet for discharging the air discharged from the cooking chamber to the outside of the cooking appliance.

[0624] In the present embodiment, a case where at least a part of the common exhaust hole 3a is provided on the left side of the extended upper space 10j is shown. The common exhaust hole 3a may be provided above the boundary between the upper space 10i and the extended upper space 10j. That is, in a top view of the cooking appliance, the boundary between the upper space 10i and the extended upper space 10j may be exposed at a position on the top of the cooking appliance through the common exhaust hole 3a.

[0625] In one example, a substantially left half portion of the common exhaust hole 3a may be provided above the upper space 10i. Additionally, the other half of the common exhaust hole 3a may be provided above the extended upper space 10j.

[0626] The common exhaust hole 3a can be used to discharge both the air discharged from the exhaust duct 70 and the air introduced into the exhaust spaces 10i, 10j by the blowers 100, 200. That is, the steam and gas discharged from the cooking chamber and the cooking gas sucked through the blowers 100 and 200 can be discharged together through the common exhaust hole 3a.

[0627] According to the present embodiment, the exhaust spaces 10i and 10j include the upper space 10i and the extended upper space 10j, and the air sucked through the blowers 100 and 200 can flow not only into the upper space 10i but also into the extended upper space 10j. In particular, the air flowing from the blowers 100 and 200 into the extended upper space 10j can be discharged to the outside of the cooking appliance through the common exhaust hole 3a.

[0628] In this regard, the air flowing from the blowers 100 and 200 into the extended upper space 10j does not have to be discharged to the outside of the cooking appliance only through the common exhaust hole 3a, and can also be discharged to the outside of the cooking appliance through a second exhaust hole 3 other than the common exhaust hole 3a.

[0629] If the extension plate 18 is not provided in the main body 10, and thus the extended upper space 10j is not formed in the main body 10, the area occupied by the exhaust spaces 10i and 10j inevitably decreases to only the upper space 10i.

[0630] In this case, most of the area below the common exhaust hole 3a is occupied by the exhaust duct 70, so it is difficult to form a passage connecting the common exhaust hole 3a with the exhaust spaces 10a and 10j to each other.

[0631] Additionally, if the extension plate 18 is not provided inside the main body 10, the common exhaust hole 3a communicates directly with the side space 10e. In this case, the suction force of the rear fan assembly 100 acting on the side space 10e may affect the surrounding environment around the common exhaust hole 3a.

[0632] In this case, it is difficult for the air flowing from the blowers 100 and 200 to the exhaust spaces 10i and 10j to be discharged to the outside of the cooking appliance through the common exhaust hole 3a. As a result, only the steam and gas discharged from the cooking chamber are mainly discharged through the common exhaust hole 3a, and the cooking gas sucked by the blowers 100 and 200 may hardly be discharged.

[0633] On the contrary, in the cooking appliance of the present embodiment, the side space 10e and the upper space 10j extending upward are blocked from each other via the extension plate 18, and the regions occupied by the exhaust spaces 10i and 10j can extend not only to the upper space 10i but also to the upper space 10j extending upward provided below the common exhaust hole 3a.

[0634] Therefore, the cooking appliance of the present embodiment can discharge the steam and gas discharged from the cooking chamber and the cooking gas sucked by the blowers 100 and 200 through the common exhaust hole 3a.

[0635] [Rear support member]

[0636] Figure 43 is a rear perspective view showing a state in which the rear fan assembly is removed from the cooking appliance according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure, Figure 44 is showing from Figure 43 a rear perspective view of the rear support member separated from the cooking appliance shown, Figure 45 is a side view showing a coupling state of the cavity and the rear support member. Figure 46 is showing as Figure 45 a bottom perspective view showing a state in which a coupling portion between the cavity and the rear support member shown is enlarged. Figure 47 is a side view showing a state in which the rear plate is coupled to the rear support member as shown in Figure 45 and Figure 48 is a side cross-sectional view showing a coupling structure between the cavity, the rear support member, and the rear plate.

[0637] Referring to Figures 43 to 45 , the cooking appliance of the present embodiment may include a rear support member 90. The rear support member 90 may be provided at the rear of the cavity 11.

[0638] As described above, the front plate may be provided in front of the cavity 11. When the cavity 11 is interposed between the front plate 12 and the rear support member 90, the front plate 12 and the rear support member 90 may be spaced apart from each other in the front-rear direction and may be coupled to the cavity 11.

[0639] In one example, the front plate 12 may be coupled to the front surface of the cavity 11, and the rear support member 90 may be coupled to the rear surface of the cavity 11. In another example, the front plate 12 may be integrally formed with the cavity 11 to constitute the front surface of the cavity 11.

[0640] According to the present embodiment, the front plate 12 may be formed such that the lower end 12b of the front plate 12 is disposed at a vertical height lower than the vertical height of the bottom surface of the cavity 11. For example, at least a portion of the front plate 12 may be disposed between the cavity 11 and the bottom plate 14.

[0641] Similar to the front plate 12, the rear support member 90 may be formed such that the lower end of the rear support member 90 is disposed at a vertical height lower than the vertical height of the bottom surface of the cavity 11. For example, at least a portion of the rear support member 90 may be disposed between the cavity 11 and the bottom plate 14.

[0642] To this end, at least a portion of the rear support member 90 may protrude to a position lower than the position of the bottom surface of the cavity 11. The rear support member 90 may contact the bottom surface of the cavity 11 while being disposed at a vertical height lower than the vertical height of the cavity 11, and may support the cavity 11.

[0643] The rear support member 90 may include a front coupling portion 91 and a lower support 92. The front coupling portion 91 is configured to be coupled to the rear surface of the cavity 11. In addition, the lower support 92 may protrude downward from the front coupling portion 91.

[0644] The lower end of the lower support 92 may be disposed at a position lower than the position of the bottom surface of the cavity 11. The lower support 92 may contact the bottom surface of the cavity 11 while being disposed at a position lower than the position of the cavity 11, and may support the front coupling portion 91 and the cavity 11 coupled to the front coupling portion 91.

[0645] Preferably, the lower end of the lower support 92 may be disposed at a position corresponding to the position of the lower end 12b of the front plate 12. For example, the protruding length of the lower support 92 with respect to the bottom surface of the cavity 11 may be set to be the same as the protruding length of the front plate 12 with respect to the bottom surface of the cavity 11. Accordingly, the rear support member 90 may support the cavity 11 such that the cavity 11 may maintain a substantially horizontal state.

[0646] In the front-rear direction, the rear support member 90 may be disposed between the cavity 11 and the rear plate 15. The rear support member 90 may be coupled to the cavity 11 and the rear plate 15.

[0647] Accordingly, the rear support member 90 may further include a rear coupling portion 93 and a connection portion 94. The rear coupling portion 93 is configured to be coupled to the front surface of the rear plate 15. Additionally, the connection portion 94 projects rearward from the front coupling portion 91 and may connect the front coupling portion 91 and the rear coupling portion 93 to each other.

[0648] The connection portion 94 may be disposed in the rear space 10f and may be disposed below the rear fan assembly 100. In the vertical direction, the connection portion 94 may be disposed between the rear fan assembly 100 and the bottom plate 14. The connection portion 94 is configured such that air in the rear space 10f can flow in the vertical direction while flowing through the connection portion 94.

[0649] Accordingly, the rear support member 90 may have a vertical through-hole 94a defined therein. The vertical through-hole 94a forms a space between the cavity 11 and the bottom plate 14, that is, forms a passage communicating the lower space and the rear fan assembly 100.

[0650] In one example, the connection portion 94 may form a horizontal plane blocking the lower space and the rear fan assembly 100, and the vertical through-hole 94a may be formed to extend through the connection portion 94 in the vertical direction. The vertical through-hole 94a may form a passage required for air introduced into the lower space through the air intake hole 1 to flow through the rear support member 90 and toward the rear fan assembly 100.

[0651] That is, the connection portion 94 may be used to maintain the interval between the cavity 11 and the rear plate 15, thereby ensuring sufficient space required for air flow in the rear space 10f.

[0652] Referring to Figures 44 to 47 , the front coupling portion 91 may be coupled to the rear surface of the cavity 11 while contacting the rear surface of the cavity 11 in the front-rear direction.

[0653] The coupling between the cavity 11 and the front coupling portion 91 may be performed via at least one of a coupling using a fastening member s such as a screw or a fitting coupling. In one example, at least one of a fitting coupling portion 91a and a fastening hole 91b may be provided in the front coupling portion 91. In the present embodiment, it is shown that both the fitting coupling portion 91a and the fastening hole 91b are provided in the front coupling portion 91.

[0654] The fitting coupling portion 91a may be detachably coupled to the rear surface of the cavity 11. In one example, the lower end 11c of the rear surface of the cavity 11 may be formed to project downward beyond the lower surface of the cavity 11. The fitting coupling portion 91a is configured such that the lower end 11c of the rear surface of the cavity 11 can be fittingly coupled to the fitting coupling portion 91a.

[0655] In one example, the mating coupling portion 91a may be formed to protrude backward from the front coupling portion 91 in an "L" shape, and the lower end 11c of the rear surface of the cavity 11 may be fitted between the front surface of the front coupling portion 91 and the rear surface of the mating coupling portion 91a.

[0656] When assembling the cooking appliance, in a state where the cavity 11 is inverted upside down so that the bottom surface of the cavity 11 faces upward, and in a state where the rear support member 90 is inverted upside down so that the lower support member 92 faces upward, the rear support member 90 contacts the rear surface of the cavity 11, so that the lower end 11c of the rear surface of the cavity 11 is fitted into the mating coupling portion 91a. Thus, the mating connection between the cavity 11 and the rear support member 90 can be achieved.

[0657] The rear support member 90 can be temporarily fixed to the cavity 11 via the mating connection between the cavity 11 and the rear support member 90 achieved in the above manner. In a state where the rear support member 90 is temporarily fixed to the cavity 11 in this way, the front coupling portion 91 can contact the rear surface of the cavity 11 in the front-rear direction.

[0658] In this state, a fastening member s such as a screw is fastened to the fastening hole 91b, so that the rear support member 90 can be firmly connected to the cavity 11.

[0659] That is to say, via the mating connection between the cavity 11 and the mating coupling portion 91a, the connection position of the rear support member 90 relative to the cavity 11 can be guided, and the rear support member 90 can be temporarily fixed to the cavity 11. Therefore, the installation of the rear support member 90 can be performed more easily and quickly.

[0660] The rear support member 90 installed on the rear side of the cavity 11 as described above can support the cavity 11 so that the cavity 11 does not fall backward during the assembly process of the cooking appliance.

[0661] As described above, the front panel 12 is installed on the front side of the cavity 11, and the lower end 12b of the front panel 12 protrudes to a position lower than the bottom surface of the cavity 11. Therefore, when the front panel 12 is first installed on the cavity 11 and the bottom plate 14 or the rear plate 15 has not been installed on the cavity, due to the difference in the vertical lengths between the front side and the rear side of the cavity 11, the cavity 11 is likely to fall backward.

[0662] Considering this situation, in the present embodiment, the rear support member 90 can be installed on the rear side of the cavity 11, and the rear side of the cavity 11 can be supported by the rear support member 90. That is, in the present embodiment, the front panel 12 and the rear support member 90 (with the cavity 11 therebetween) arranged in the front-rear direction can support the cavity 11 while being respectively disposed on two opposite sides in the front-rear direction of the cavity 11.

[0663] Therefore, even in a state where the front plate 12 is first installed on the cavity 11 and the bottom plate 14 or the rear plate 15 is not yet installed on the cavity, the cavity 11 does not tilt backward and can maintain a stable posture without tilting forward or backward.

[0664] That is, the rear support member 90 according to the present embodiment is used to stably maintain the posture of the cavity 11 so that the cavity 11 does not tilt backward during the assembly of the cooking appliance, thereby facilitating the assembly of the cooking appliance in a relatively stable environment. Therefore, various safety accidents that may occur due to the tilting of the cavity 11 during the assembly of the cooking appliance can be suppressed.

[0665] In addition, the rear support member 90 can be coupled to at least one of the rear plate 15 and the bottom plate 14, as Figure 47 and Figure 48 shown. In the present embodiment, it is shown that the rear support member 90 is coupled to both the rear plate 15 and the bottom plate 14.

[0666] As described above, the rear coupling portion 93 can be coupled to the rear plate 15. The lower end of the lower support member 92 can be coupled to the bottom plate 14. The rear support member 90 coupled to each of the rear plate 15 and the bottom plate 14 stably supports the rear plate 15 and the bottom plate 14 on the cavity 11, thereby effectively improving the structural stability of the cooking appliance.

[0667] In addition, the rear support member 90 can provide an effect of increasing the suction flow rate by maintaining the interval between the cavity 11 and the rear plate 15, thereby ensuring sufficient space required for air flow in the rear space 10f.

[0668] [Further examples of cooking appliances]

[0669] Figure 49 is a rear perspective view showing a state in which the cabinet is removed from the cooking appliance according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure, Figure 50 is a rear perspective view showing a state in which the cabinet is removed from the cooking appliance according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure, Figure 51 is a rear perspective view showing a state in which the cabinet is removed from the cooking appliance according to the fourth embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0670] As Figures 49 to 51 shown, the main difference between the cooking appliance shown and the cooking appliance shown in the above embodiment lies in the presence or absence of the corner fan assembly 200 (see Figure 5 ). As Figures 49 to 51 shown, only the rear fan assembly 100 is provided in the cooking device, and the corner fan assembly 200 is not provided.

[0671] Therefore, as Figures 49 to 51A difference occurs between the blower output of the cooking appliance shown and the blower output of the cooking appliance shown in the above-described embodiment. That is, compared with a cooking appliance including both the corner fan assembly 200 and the rear fan assembly 100, the output of the blower in the cooking appliance shown as Figures 49 to 51 is relatively reduced.

[0672] As Figures 49 to 51 shown, the cooking appliance may employ a main body 10 having a shape substantially the same as the shape of the main body of the cooking appliance shown in the above-described embodiment. That is, the cooking appliance according to the present embodiment can be provided as various types of cooking appliances that employ only one type of common main body but have only different blower outputs.

[0673] The cooking appliance according to the present embodiment can provide the effect of easily and quickly manufacturing various types of cooking appliances at low cost. Hereinafter, various embodiments of the cooking appliance for achieving the above object are shown.

[0674] Referring to Figure 49 , except for the blower and the flow path defining member 300, the structure of the cooking appliance according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure is substantially the same as the structure of the cooking appliance shown in the above-described embodiment.

[0675] That is, the main difference between the cooking appliance according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure and the cooking appliance shown in the above-described embodiment lies in the blower and the flow path defining member 300.

[0676] The flow path defining member 300 of the present embodiment may include a first flow path plate 31 and a fastening plate 33. For example, the flow path defining member 300 of the present embodiment may also be provided in a manner in which the second flow path plate 32 is omitted from the flow path defining member 30 (refer to Figure 6 ).

[0677] In one example, the flow path defining member 300 of the present embodiment may be provided in a form in which the first flow path plate 31 and the fastening plate 33 are integrally formed with each other. In another example, the flow path defining member 300 may be provided in a form in which the first flow path plate 31 and the fastening plate 33 are separately formed and assembled with each other.

[0678] Therefore, a structure that can block the first suction hole 112 and the first discharge hole 114 from each other is not provided on the left side of the rear fan assembly 100. In addition, the corner spaces 10g, 10h, and more specifically, the lower corner space 10h remain in an empty state.

[0679] The cooking appliance of the present embodiment may further include a cover 36. The cover 36 is configured to cover the through hole 41b formed in the lateral support 41 (see Figure 21)。The cover 36 can be connected to the lateral support member 41 to close the discharge hole 41a. Due to the cover 36, unnecessary passages between the corner spaces 10g, 10h and the exhaust flow path A can be closed.

[0680] Referring to Figure 50 , the flow path defining member 400 provided in the cooking apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure can be configured to include a first flow path plate 31, an extension plate 34, and a fastening plate 33.

[0681] In one example, the flow path defining member 400 of the present embodiment can be provided in a form in which the first flow path plate 31, the extension plate 34, and the fastening plate 33 are integrally formed with each other. In another example, the flow path defining member 300 can be provided in a form in which the first flow path plate 31, the extension plate 34, and the fastening plate 33 are separately formed and assembled with each other.

[0682] In the flow path defining member 400, the first flow path plate 31 can define the right boundary surface of the exhaust flow path A. The extension plate 34 forms the left boundary surface of the exhaust flow path A, and is provided on the left side of the rear fan assembly 100, and constitutes a wall that blocks the first suction hole 112 and the first discharge hole 114.

[0683] In addition, referring to Figure 51 , the cooking appliance according to the fourth embodiment of the present disclosure can include a flow path defining member 30 having the same shape as the shape shown in the first embodiment of the present disclosure. In addition, the cooking appliance according to the fourth embodiment of the present disclosure can further include a cover 36 having the same shape as the shape shown in the second embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0684] Therefore, the right boundary surface of the exhaust flow path A can be defined by the first flow path plate 31. In addition, on the left side of the rear fan assembly 100, the lower boundary surface of the exhaust flow path A can be defined by the second flow path plate 32. In addition, the left boundary surface of the exhaust flow path A can be defined by the lateral support member 41 and the cover 36.

[0685] Although the present disclosure has been described above with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings, this is only an example, and those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and other equivalent embodiments can be made therefrom. Therefore, the true technical protection scope of the present disclosure should be determined by the appended claims.

[0686] <Reference Numerals>

[0687] 1: Air intake hole

[0688] 2: First exhaust hole

[0689] 3: Second exhaust hole

[0690] 3a: Common exhaust hole

[0691] 4: Third exhaust hole

[0692] 5: Cold air inlet

[0693] 10: Main body

[0694] 10a: Cooking chamber

[0695] 10b, 10c, 10d: Electronic / electrical component chamber

[0696] 10b: Lower electronic / electrical component chamber

[0697] 10c: Upper electronic / electrical component chamber

[0698] 10d: Air intake chamber

[0699] 10e: Side space

[0700] 10f: Rear space

[0701] 10g: Upper corner space

[0702] 10h: Lower corner space

[0703] 10i: Upper space

[0704] 10j: Extended upper space

[0705] 18: Extension plate

[0706] 30, 35, 300, 400: Flow path defining member

[0707] 40, 45: Support member

[0708] 50: Partition plate

[0709] 60, 65: Shielding member

[0710] 70: Exhaust duct

[0711] 75: Duct support

[0712] 80, 85: Lamp shade

[0713] 90: Rear support member

[0714] 100: Rear fan assembly

[0715] 200: Corner fan assembly

Claims

1. A cooking appliance, the cooking appliance comprising: A main body having a cooking chamber defined therein and having an air inlet hole and an exhaust hole, A blower configured to suck air through the air inlet hole and discharge the sucked air to the exhaust hole, A flow path defining member configured to induce an air flow of the air discharged from the blower, Wherein, in the main body, a rear space is defined at a position behind the cooking chamber, and the rear space communicates with the air inlet hole and the exhaust hole, Wherein, the flow path defining member defines an exhaust flow path for guiding the air discharged from the blower toward the exhaust hole, Wherein, the exhaust flow path is provided in the rear space.

2. The cooking appliance according to claim 1, wherein, The main body includes: a cavity having a cooking chamber defined therein; and a rear plate provided behind the cavity, Wherein, the rear space is defined between the cavity and the rear plate.

3. The cooking appliance according to claim 1, wherein, The main body includes: a cavity having a cooking chamber defined therein; and a box body having an upper surface provided above the cavity, Wherein, the exhaust hole communicates with an upper space defined between the upper surface of the cavity and the upper surface of the box body, Wherein, the exhaust flow path connects the blower and the upper space to each other.

4. The cooking appliance according to claim 3, wherein, The exhaust hole is formed on the upper surface of the box body to extend through the upper surface of the box body.

5. The cooking appliance according to claim 3, wherein, An inlet of the exhaust flow path is opened toward the blower, and an outlet of the exhaust flow path is opened toward the upper space, Wherein, the exhaust hole is provided in a region vertically overlapping with the outlet of the exhaust flow path.

6. The cooking appliance according to claim 1, wherein, The blower is provided in the rear space.

7. The cooking appliance according to claim 1, wherein, The blower includes a rear fan assembly configured to suck air through a first suction hole and discharge the sucked air through a first discharge hole; Wherein, the flow path defining member includes a first flow path plate that forms a wall blocking the first suction hole and the first discharge hole from each other.

8. The cooking appliance according to claim 7, wherein, The first discharge hole is provided in the upper surface of the rear fan assembly; Wherein, the flow path defining member further includes a fastening plate configured to open the first discharge hole upward and coupled to the upper surface of the rear fan assembly; Wherein, the first flow path plate extends upward from the fastening plate.

9. The cooking appliance according to claim 8, wherein, The cooking appliance further includes an extension plate provided to block the upper space formed above the cooking chamber and the rear space from each other, Wherein, in the vertical direction, the extension plate is provided between the rear fan assembly and the upper space, Wherein, the first suction hole is provided below the fastening plate, Wherein, the first flow path plate forms a vertical wall that blocks a lateral channel formed between the rear fan assembly and the extension plate, and the rear fan assembly and the extension plate are spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction.

10. The cooking appliance according to claim 7, wherein, The cooking appliance further includes an extension plate provided to block the upper space formed above the cooking chamber and the rear space from each other, Among them, at least a part of the first flow path plate protrudes upward from the extension plate.

11. The cooking appliance according to claim 7, wherein, The flow path defining member further includes a second flow path plate, and the second flow path plate constitutes a wall that blocks the first suction hole and the first discharge hole from each other. Among them, the rear fan assembly is disposed in a lateral direction between the first flow path plate and the second flow path plate.

12. The cooking appliance according to claim 11, wherein, The flow path defining member further includes a fastening plate connected to the upper surface of the rear fan assembly. Among them, the fastening plate connects the first flow path plate and the second flow path plate to each other.

13. The cooking appliance according to claim 12, wherein, The first flow path plate, the second flow path plate, and the fastening plate are integrally formed with each other.

14. The cooking appliance according to claim 7, wherein, The blower further includes a corner fan assembly, and the corner fan assembly is disposed on a side surface of the rear fan assembly and is spaced apart from the rear fan assembly by a predetermined distance. Among them, the flow path defining member further includes a second flow path plate, and the second flow path plate is disposed between the rear fan assembly and the corner fan assembly and is configured to constitute a wall that blocks the first suction hole and the first discharge hole from each other.

15. The cooking appliance according to claim 7, wherein, The blower further includes a corner fan assembly, and the corner fan assembly is disposed on a side surface of the rear fan assembly and is spaced apart from the rear fan assembly by a predetermined distance. Among them, the corner fan assembly is configured to suck air through a second suction hole and discharge the sucked air through a second discharge hole.

16. The cooking appliance according to claim 15, wherein, The second discharge hole is disposed to face the first suction hole that is disposed to face laterally. Among them, the vertical height of the first discharge hole is higher than the vertical heights of the first suction hole and the second discharge hole respectively. Among them, the second flow path plate constitutes an inclined wall that blocks the first suction hole and the first discharge hole from each other and blocks the first suction hole and the second discharge hole from each other.

17. The cooking appliance according to claim 15, wherein, The flow path defining member further includes a fastening plate, and the fastening plate is coupled to the upper surface of the rear fan assembly. Among them, the first suction hole is disposed below the fastening plate. Among them, the upper end of the second flow path plate is connected to the fastening plate. Among them, the lower end of the second flow path plate is disposed adjacent to the corner fan assembly and is disposed below the second discharge hole.

18. The cooking appliance according to claim 7, wherein, The cooking appliance further includes a lateral support member, and the lateral support member constitutes a wall that blocks a side portion space disposed on a side surface of the cooking chamber and defined inside the main body from the exhaust flow path. Among them, a side portion space disposed on a side surface of the cooking chamber and a corner space are defined inside the main body, and in the corner space, a rear portion space and the side portion space partially overlap. Among them, the lateral support member that constitutes the wall that blocks the side portion space and the exhaust flow path from each other is disposed between the side portion space and the rear fan assembly. Among them, a discharge hole for opening the corner space toward the exhaust flow path is defined in the lateral support member.

19. The cooking appliance according to claim 18, wherein, The cooking appliance further includes a lid, and the lid is coupled to the lateral support member to close the discharge hole.

20. The cooking appliance according to claim 1, wherein, The blower includes a rear fan assembly, and the rear fan assembly is configured to suck air through a first suction hole and discharge the sucked air through a first discharge hole. Wherein, the flow path defining member further includes an extension plate, and the extension plate constitutes a wall that blocks the first suction hole and the first discharge hole from each other. Wherein, the extension plate is disposed above the rear fan assembly.