Antenna driving mechanism and microwave heating device

Abstract

The antenna driving mechanism is provided with: an antenna shaft that supports the rotating antenna; a motor shaft that can rotate integrally with the antenna shaft and is rotationally driven in a first rotational direction or a second rotational direction; and a first rotation restricting portion and a second rotation restricting portion, the antenna shaft relatively moving in the axial direction from a first position where the rotation restriction is received to a second position where the rotation restriction is released in response to rotation of the motor shaft in the first rotation direction in a state where the antenna shaft is subjected to the rotation restriction by the first rotation restricting portion. The antenna shaft relatively moves in the axial direction from a second position where the rotation restriction is received to a first position where the rotation restriction is released in response to the rotation of the motor shaft in the second rotation direction in a state where the rotation restriction by the second rotation restriction portion is received.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an antenna driving mechanism that drives a rotary antenna, and a microwave heating device provided with the antenna driving mechanism. BACKGROUND

[0002] Conventionally, a microwave heating device is known in which a food or the like as a heated object is accommodated in a heating chamber, and microwaves are supplied into the heating chamber to heat and cook the heated object (for example, refer to Patent Literature 1).

[0003] The microwave heating device of Patent Literature 1 is provided with a rotary antenna for supplying microwaves to the heating chamber, an antenna rotating motor that rotates the rotary antenna, and an antenna up-down driving motor that moves the rotary antenna up and down.

[0004] PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS

[0005] PATENT LITERATURE

[0006] Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent No. 4024145 SUMMARY

[0007] PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION

[0008] In the microwave heating device of Patent Literature 1, motors are required for the rotation function and the up-down movement function of the rotary antenna, respectively, and the device is likely to be large-sized. It can be said that there is room for improvement in terms of balancing high functionality and small size of the microwave heating device.

[0009] Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to solve the above problems, and to provide an antenna driving mechanism that can balance high functionality and small size, and a microwave heating device provided with the antenna driving mechanism.

[0010] MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEMS

[0011] To achieve the above object, the antenna driving mechanism of the present disclosure includes: an antenna shaft that supports a rotating antenna for supplying microwaves to a heating chamber; a motor shaft that is screwed with the antenna shaft, can rotate integrally with the antenna shaft, and is rotationally driven in a first rotation direction or a second rotation direction; and a first rotation restriction portion that selectively restricts rotation in the first rotation direction of the antenna shaft and a second rotation restriction portion that selectively restricts rotation in the second rotation direction of the antenna shaft, the antenna shaft relatively moves along an axial direction from a first position where the rotation is restricted to a second position where the rotation is not restricted in response to rotation of the motor shaft in the first rotation direction in a state where the rotation is restricted by the first rotation restriction portion, and the antenna shaft relatively moves along the axial direction from the second position where the rotation is restricted to the first position where the rotation is not restricted in response to rotation of the motor shaft in the second rotation direction in a state where the rotation is restricted by the second rotation restriction portion.

[0012] Further, the antenna driving mechanism of the present disclosure includes: an antenna shaft that supports a rotating antenna for supplying microwaves to a heating chamber; a motor that imparts a rotation driving force in a first rotation direction or a second rotation direction to the antenna shaft; a rotation restriction portion that selectively restricts a rotation action of the antenna shaft in such a manner that an axial position of the antenna shaft is set to a first position when the antenna shaft is subjected to the rotation driving force in the first rotation direction and is set to a second position different from the first position when the antenna shaft is subjected to the rotation driving force in the second rotation direction; and a control portion that controls a rotation direction of the rotation driving force of the motor.

[0013] Further, the microwave heating device of the present disclosure includes: the antenna driving mechanism; the rotating antenna driven by the antenna driving mechanism; and the heating chamber supplied with microwaves by the rotating antenna.

[0014] Effects of Invention

[0015] According to the present disclosure, high functionality and miniaturization can be achieved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1A is a schematic side view of a microwave heating device of an embodiment.

[0017] Figure 1B is a schematic side view of a microwave heating device of an embodiment.

[0018] Figure 2 is a schematic plan view of a rotating antenna of an embodiment.

[0019] Figure 3Ais a perspective view of an antenna driving mechanism of an embodiment.

[0020] Figure 3B is a perspective view of an antenna driving mechanism of an embodiment.

[0021] Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of an antenna driving mechanism of an embodiment.

[0022] Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of an antenna driving mechanism of an embodiment.

[0023] Figure 6 is a perspective view showing an antenna shaft and a motor screw of an embodiment.

[0024] Figure 7 is an exploded perspective view of an antenna shaft of an embodiment.

[0025] Figure 8 is an exploded perspective view of an antenna shaft of an embodiment.

[0026] Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a cross section of an antenna shaft of an embodiment.

[0027] Figure 10A is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a longitudinal section of a peripheral structure of an antenna shaft of an embodiment (upward position).

[0028] Figure 10B is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a longitudinal section of a peripheral structure of an antenna shaft of an embodiment (downward position).

[0029] Figure 11 is a perspective view of a ring member of an embodiment.

[0030] Figure 12 is a perspective view of a ring member of an embodiment.

[0031] Figure 13 is a perspective view for explaining an operation when the movable pin of an embodiment is rotated in a first rotation direction while being positioned at a lower layer.

[0032] Figure 14 is a perspective view for explaining an operation when the movable pin of an embodiment is rotated in a first rotation direction while being positioned at an upper layer.

[0033] Figure 15 is a perspective view for explaining an operation when the movable pin of an embodiment is rotated in a second rotation direction while being positioned at an upper layer.

[0034] Figure 16 is a perspective view for explaining an operation when the movable pin of an embodiment is rotated in a second rotation direction while being positioned at a lower layer. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an antenna driving mechanism including: an antenna shaft that supports a rotary antenna for supplying microwaves to a heating chamber; a motor shaft that is screwed with the antenna shaft, is rotatable integrally with the antenna shaft, and is rotationally driven in a first rotation direction or a second rotation direction; a first rotation restriction portion that selectively restricts rotation of the antenna shaft in the first rotation direction; and a second rotation restriction portion that selectively restricts rotation of the antenna shaft in the second rotation direction, the antenna shaft being relatively moved in an axial direction from a first position where the rotation is restricted by the first rotation restriction portion to a second position where the rotation is not restricted, in response to rotation of the motor shaft in the first rotation direction in a state where the rotation is restricted by the first rotation restriction portion, and the antenna shaft being relatively moved in the axial direction from the second position where the rotation is restricted by the second rotation restriction portion to the first position where the rotation is not restricted, in response to rotation of the motor shaft in the second rotation direction in a state where the rotation is restricted by the second rotation restriction portion.

[0036] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided the antenna driving mechanism according to the first aspect, further including a cover member disposed to oppose an outer circumferential portion of the antenna shaft, the first rotation restriction portion and the second rotation restriction portion being provided to an inner circumferential portion of the cover member.

[0037] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided the antenna driving mechanism according to the second aspect, further including a waveguide structure that transmits microwaves toward the rotary antenna, the cover member being attached to the waveguide structure.

[0038] According to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided the antenna driving mechanism according to the third aspect, the cover member including: a first member that constitutes the inner circumferential portion with the first rotation restriction portion and the second rotation restriction portion; and a second member that is attached to the waveguide structure, the first member being attached to an inner side of the second member.

[0039] According to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided the antenna driving mechanism according to any one of the second aspect to the fourth aspect, the antenna shaft having a protruding portion that protrudes in a lateral direction intersecting the axial direction, the first rotation restriction portion having a first restriction wall that receives the protruding portion in the first rotation direction, the second rotation restriction portion having a second restriction wall that receives the protruding portion in the second rotation direction, the first restriction wall and the second restriction wall being different in position in the axial direction.

[0040] According to a sixth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided the antenna driving mechanism according to the fifth aspect, wherein the first rotation restricting portion has a first slope that is disposed adjacent to the first restricting wall and whose height gradually increases in the second rotation direction, and the second rotation restricting portion has a second slope that is disposed adjacent to the second restricting wall and whose height gradually increases in the first rotation direction.

[0041] According to a seventh aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided the antenna driving mechanism according to the fifth aspect or the sixth aspect, wherein the antenna shaft further has a first force applying member that applies a force to the protruding portion in a protruding direction.

[0042] According to an eighth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided the antenna driving mechanism according to the seventh aspect, wherein the protruding portion has a first protruding portion that protrudes to one side in a lateral direction and a second protruding portion that protrudes to another side in the lateral direction, and the first force applying member applies a force to the first protruding portion and the second protruding portion in respective protruding directions.

[0043] According to a ninth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided the antenna driving mechanism according to any one of the first aspect to the eighth aspect, wherein the antenna shaft includes a first shaft that is screwed with the motor shaft, and a second shaft that is disposed outside the first shaft, is movable integrally with the first shaft, and on which the rotary antenna is mounted.

[0044] According to a tenth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided the antenna driving mechanism according to the ninth aspect, wherein the antenna driving mechanism further includes a second force applying member that generates a force in the axial direction between the first shaft and the second shaft.

[0045] According to an eleventh aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided the antenna driving mechanism according to the ninth aspect or the tenth aspect, wherein the first shaft is made of resin, and the second shaft is made of metal.

[0046] According to a twelfth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided the antenna driving mechanism according to any one of the ninth aspect to the eleventh aspect, wherein the first shaft has a protruding portion that protrudes in a lateral direction intersecting the axial direction, and the second shaft has a through-hole through which the protruding portion passes in the lateral direction.

[0047] According to a thirteenth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided the antenna driving mechanism according to any one of the first aspect to the twelfth aspect, wherein when the antenna shaft is in the first position, the rotary antenna is positioned apart from a wall portion that constitutes a heating chamber, and when the antenna shaft is in the second position, the rotary antenna is in contact with the wall portion.

[0048] According to a fourteenth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided the antenna driving mechanism according to the thirteenth aspect, wherein the wall portion is a bottom wall portion of the heating chamber.

[0049] According to a fifteenth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an antenna driving mechanism including: an antenna shaft that supports a rotating antenna that supplies microwaves to a heating chamber; a motor that imparts a rotational driving force of a first rotational direction or a second rotational direction to the antenna shaft; a rotation restricting portion that selectively restricts a rotational motion of the antenna shaft in such a manner that a position in an axial direction of the antenna shaft is set to a first position when the antenna shaft is subjected to the rotational driving force of the first rotational direction and is set to a second position different from the first position when the antenna shaft is subjected to the rotational driving force of the second rotational direction; and a control portion that controls a rotational direction of the rotational driving force of the motor.

[0050] According to a sixteenth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a microwave heating apparatus including: the antenna driving mechanism; the rotating antenna driven by the antenna driving mechanism; and the heating chamber to which microwaves are supplied by the rotating antenna.

[0051] (Embodiments)

[0052] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of an antenna driving mechanism and a microwave heating apparatus according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. The present disclosure is not limited to the specific structures of the following embodiments, and structures based on the same technical idea are encompassed in the present disclosure.

[0053] First, an antenna driving mechanism and a microwave heating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Figure 1A , Figure 1B .

[0054] Figure 1A , Figure 1B are schematic side views of microwave heating apparatuses 2 according to the embodiments, respectively.

[0055] Figure 1A , Figure 1B The microwave heating apparatus 2 illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 is a cooking appliance (so-called “microwave oven”) for heating and cooking a heated object P by microwaves. The heated object P can be any kind of food material.

[0056] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, Figure 1A , Figure 1B The microwave heating apparatus 2 includes a housing 6 having a heating chamber 4, a door 8, a microwave generating device 10, a waveguide structure 12, an antenna driving mechanism 14, a rotating antenna 16, and a control portion 17.

[0057] The housing 6 is a member that constitutes an outer frame of the microwave heating apparatus 2. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, the housing 6 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape.Figure 1A 、 Figure 1B As shown in FIG. 1, the housing 6 has a heating chamber 4 on the inner side, which is opened and closed by a door 8. The heating chamber 4 is a space for heating a heated object P, and has a bottom wall portion 18 on which the heated object P can be placed.

[0058] On the outer side of the heating chamber 4, a microwave generating device 10, a waveguide structure 12, an antenna driving mechanism 14, a rotary antenna 16, and a control portion 17 are built in the housing 6.

[0059] The microwave generating device 10 is a device for generating microwaves, for example, microwaves having a frequency of 300 MHz to 300 GHz. As the microwave generating device 10, for example, a magnetron is used.

[0060] The waveguide structure 12 is a structure for supplying microwaves generated by the microwave generating device 10 to the heating chamber 4, and has a waveguide that can transmit microwaves in a predetermined direction (see arrow Al). The waveguide structure 12 is connected to the antenna driving mechanism 14 and the rotary antenna 16.

[0061] The antenna driving mechanism 14 is a mechanism for driving the rotary antenna 16. The antenna driving mechanism 14 of the present embodiment has a function of rotating the rotary antenna 16 and a function of moving the rotary antenna 16 up and down.

[0062] The antenna driving mechanism 14 includes an antenna shaft 20 connected to the rotary antenna 16 and a motor 24 having a motor shaft 21 for transmitting a rotational driving force to the antenna shaft 20.

[0063] The antenna shaft 20 is a shaft that supports the rotary antenna 16 so as to be rotatable, and rotates integrally with the rotary antenna 16 about a rotational axis Ax1. The rotational axis Ax1 extends in the vertical direction (i.e., the up-and-down direction) of the microwave heating device 2. The antenna shaft 20 is inserted through a through-hole 28 provided in the upper surface of the waveguide structure 12, and constitutes a coaxial structure together with the waveguide structure 12. A cover member 26 is disposed around the antenna shaft 20.

[0064] The cover member 26 is a member that covers the antenna shaft 20 from the outside in a movable state. The cover member 26 is fixedly installed together with the motor 24 to the waveguide structure 12. The cover member 26 of the present embodiment functions as a "rotation restricting portion" that selectively restricts the rotational movement of the antenna shaft 20. By restricting the rotational movement of the antenna shaft 20, the antenna shaft 20 can be moved up and down.

[0065] The rotary antenna 16 is a member for supplying microwaves transmitted from the waveguide structure 12 toward the heating chamber 4. The rotary antenna 16 can rotate together with the above-described antenna shaft 20 about the rotational axis Ax1.

[0066] The control section 17 is a component that controls the constituent elements of the microwave heating device 2, such as the microwave generation device 10 and the motor 24, and is configured to have, for example, a microcomputer.

[0067] With the antenna driving mechanism 14 having the antenna shaft 20 and the cover member 26, when the antenna shaft 20 is rotated in the first rotation direction Rl as shown in Figure 1A , the rotary antenna 16 is raised (arrow Hl), and when the antenna shaft 20 is rotated in the second rotation direction R2 as shown in Figure 1B , the rotary antenna 16 is lowered (arrow H2).

[0068] According to such an operation, by the control section 17 controlling the direction of the rotational driving force of the antenna shaft 20, the rotary antenna 16 is moved up and down toward the desired height position.

[0069] In the present embodiment, when the rotary antenna 16 is located at the raised position as shown in Figure 1A , the rotary antenna 16 is brought into partial contact with the bottom wall portion 18 of the heating chamber 4 via the spacers described later. When the rotary antenna 16 is located at the lowered position as shown in Figure 1B , the rotary antenna 16 is not brought into contact with the bottom wall portion 18 of the heating chamber 4 but is arranged at a lower position spaced apart from the bottom wall portion 18.

[0070] By bringing the rotary antenna 16 into contact with the bottom wall portion 18 of the heating chamber 4 via the spacers when the rotary antenna 16 is located at the raised position, it is easy to maintain the distance of the rotary antenna 16 from the heated object P constant, and it is possible to stabilize the heating method of the microwave toward the heated object P.

[0071] Figure 2 is a schematic plan view of the rotary antenna 16.

[0072] Figure 2 The rotary antenna 16 shown in Figure 2 may adopt any structure as long as it is capable of supplying microwaves toward the heating chamber 4, and may supply microwaves such as radiated waves, surface waves, and the like in any manner. In , the rotary antenna 16 is schematically illustrated.

[0073] As shown in Figure 2 , the rotary antenna 16 has an upper surface 29, and a plurality of spacers 30, 32 are provided on the upper surface 29.

[0074] The plurality of spacers 30, 32 are protruding portions that protrude upward from the upper surface 29 of the rotary antenna 16 toward the heating chamber 4. The spacers 30, 32 function as spacers that ensure the spacing of the bottom wall portion 18 of the heating chamber 4 from the upper surface 29 by coming into contact with the bottom wall portion 18. The rotary antenna 16 comes into contact with the bottom wall portion 18 via the spacers 30, 32. By providing the spacers 30, 32, it is possible to reduce Figure 1AThe frictional resistance of the rotating antenna 16 when it rotates at the rising position shown.

[0075] Spacer 30 is disposed at the center of the upper surface 29 of the rotating antenna 16. In this embodiment, spacer 30 overlaps with the rotation axis Ax1 of the rotating antenna 16. A pair of spacers 32 are respectively disposed at both ends of the upper surface 29 of the rotating antenna 16. The arrangement, shape, and number of spacers 30 and 32 are not limited to these specifications. Figure 2 The example shown.

[0076] The following uses Figure 3A The following figures will describe the antenna drive mechanism 14 that drives the rotating antenna 16.

[0077] Figure 3A , Figure 3B These are perspective views of the antenna drive mechanism 14. Figure 3A This indicates that antenna axis 20 is in the rising position (arrow H1). Figure 3B This indicates that antenna axis 20 is in the lowered position (arrow H2).

[0078] like Figure 3A , Figure 3B As shown, a mounting portion 42 for mounting a rotating antenna 16 is provided at the upper end of the antenna shaft 20. Figure 3A , Figure 3B In the example shown, the mounting part 42 has multiple mounting holes.

[0079] like Figure 3A , Figure 3B As shown, the cover member 26, which is arranged to surround the outer periphery 23 of the antenna shaft 20, has an upper cover 36 and a lower cover 38.

[0080] The upper cover 36 and the lower cover 38 each have through holes for the antenna shaft 20 to be inserted through, and are connected to each other in the vertical direction. The upper cover 36 has a mounting surface for... Figure 1A , Figure 1B The mounting portion 40 of the waveguide structure 12 shown is mounted and fixed to the waveguide structure 12 by means of the mounting portion 40 and fixing units such as screws (not shown). The lower cover 38 prevents the antenna shaft 20 from falling off when it is mounted on the upper cover 36.

[0081] Figure 4 , Figure 5 These are exploded perspective views of the antenna drive mechanism 14.

[0082] like Figure 4 , Figure 5As shown, the upper cover 36 has a through hole 46 for housing the antenna shaft 20 so as to be movable vertically; and a mounting claw 48 for mounting the lower cover 38. The lower cover 38 has a through hole 50 for housing the antenna shaft 20 so as to be movable vertically; and an insertion portion 52 for inserting and engaging the mounting claw 48 of the upper cover 36. The insertion portion 52 has an insertion hole for inserting the mounting claw 48.

[0083] In addition to the upper cover 36 and the lower cover 38, the cover component 26 also has a ring component 44.

[0084] The ring component 44 is an annular component with a rotation limiting part 54, which is used to selectively limit the rotational movement of the antenna shaft 20. The ring component 44 has a through hole 53, and is fixed by being sandwiched between the upper cover 36 and the lower cover 38 when it is housed in the through hole 46 of the upper cover 36.

[0085] In this embodiment, the ring member 44 has a rotation limiting portion 54 on its inner periphery and a positioning portion 56 on its outer periphery. The positioning portion 56 is a protrusion extending in the vertical direction, and is positioned on... Figure 5 The recess 60 provided on the inner periphery of the upper cover 36 shown is used to position the rotational position of the ring component 44.

[0086] The rotation limiting part 54 selectively engages with the movable pin 58 provided on the outer periphery 23 of the antenna shaft 20, selectively limiting the rotational movement of the antenna shaft 20 according to the rotation direction of the antenna shaft 20. In this embodiment, the rotation limiting part 54 is formed by a concave-convex shape provided on the inner periphery of the ring member 44. Details regarding the rotation limiting part 54 will be described later.

[0087] Figure 6 This is a perspective view showing the antenna shaft 20 and the motor screw 22. Figure 7 , Figure 8 These are exploded perspective views of antenna axis 20. Figure 9 It is a cross-sectional view that roughly represents the cross-section of the antenna axis 20.

[0088] like Figures 6-8 As shown, the antenna shaft 20 has an inner first shaft 64 and an outer second shaft 66. The first shaft 64 and the second shaft 66 are integrally rotatably mounted to each other about a rotation axis Ax1. A motor screw 22, which constitutes the motor shaft 21, is connected to the first shaft 64.

[0089] like Figure 6 As shown, the first shaft 64 has a threaded portion 68 on its inner circumference. The motor screw 22, which is connected to the first shaft 64, has a threaded portion 70 on its outer circumference. By connecting the threaded portion 70 with the threaded portion 68, the antenna shaft 20 and the motor shaft 21 are screwed together and can rotate as a single unit, and the rotational driving force of the motor 24 can be transmitted to the antenna shaft 20.

[0090] A connection hole 72 is provided in the lower surface of the motor screw 22. A rod-shaped coupling shaft 73 extending from the motor 24 is inserted in the connection hole 72. Figure 10A 、 Figure 10B The coupling shaft 73 has a cross-sectional shape different from a circle and rotates integrally with the motor screw 22. The motor shaft 21 is configured to include the motor screw 22 and the coupling shaft 73.

[0091] In Figure 4 、 Figure 5 the state in which the rotation restricting portion 54 does not restrict the rotation of the antenna shaft 20, the antenna shaft 20 rotates integrally with the motor shaft 21, and, in contrast, when the rotation restricting portion 54 restricts the rotation of the antenna shaft 20, only the motor shaft 21 rotates. Since the upper and lower positions of the motor shaft 21 are fixed, the antenna shaft 20 that is screwed with the motor shaft 21 relatively moves up and down along the axial direction L. The direction in which the antenna shaft 20 moves along the axial direction L changes depending on the rotation direction of the motor shaft 21, and thus, it is possible to control the up and down movement of the antenna shaft 20.

[0092] As Figure 7 、 Figure 8 shown, the antenna shaft 20 has a pair of movable pins 58A, 58B (movable pins 58), a pair of positioning pins 62A, 62B (positioning pins 62), a force applying member 74, and a force applying member 76 as components for connecting the first shaft 64 and the second shaft 66.

[0093] The movable pins 58A, 58B are components that engage with the rotation restricting portion 54 of the cover member 26 and rotate integrally with the antenna shaft 20. Sometimes, the movable pins 58A, 58B are collectively referred to as "movable pins 58". The same applies to the positioning pins 62 and other components.

[0094] The movable pins 58A, 58B are protruding portions that protrude toward the radial direction outside (lateral direction) of the antenna shaft 20, the movable pin 58A protrudes to one side, and the movable pin 58B protrudes to the other side.

[0095] The movable pins 58A, 58B each have an engaging portion 88A, 88B. The engaging portions 88A, 88B are tip portions that contact the rotation restricting portion 54 to be engaged. The side of the engaging portions 88A, 88B of the present embodiment that contacts the restricting wall of the rotation restricting portion 54 has a straight shape.

[0096] The movable pins 58A, 58B are each inserted through a through-hole 80 provided in the first shaft 64 and a through-hole 82 provided in the second shaft 66.

[0097] The force-applying component 74 is a component that applies force to movable pins 58A and 58B in their respective protruding directions (arrows F1 and F2). In this embodiment, the force-applying component 74 is a compression spring connected at one end to movable pin 58A and at the other end to movable pin 58B. By using one force-applying component 74 to apply force to both movable pins 58A and 58B, the number of components can be reduced.

[0098] Locating pins 62A and 62B are components used to determine the relative rotational position of the first shaft 64 and the second shaft 66. Locating pins 62A and 62B are respectively inserted through holes 84 and 86 provided in the first shaft 64 and the second shaft 66. The through holes 84 and 86 extend a predetermined length in the circumferential direction R centered on the rotation axis Ax1, thereby abutting the locating pins 62A and 62B against the sides forming the through holes 84 and 86, and positioning the first shaft 64 and the second shaft 66 relative to each other in the circumferential direction R.

[0099] like Figure 9 As shown, movable pins 58A and 58B are inserted through the through hole 82 of the second shaft 66, with a small gap between them and the side of the through hole 82, so that they can move along the force application direction (arrows F1 and F2) of the force application component 74. By setting the positioning pins 62A and 62B separately from the movable pins 58A and 58B, the circumferential positioning R can be performed with higher precision.

[0100] like Figure 9 As shown, movable pins 58A and 58B are interconnected via force-applying component 74, while positioning pins 62A and 62B are not interconnected but are independently set. Therefore, movable pins 58A and 58B and positioning pins 62A and 62B can be positioned at the same height (same cross-section) along the axial direction L of antenna shaft 20.

[0101] Figure 7 , Figure 8 The force-applying component 76 shown applies force to the inner first shaft 64 and the outer second shaft 66 along the axial direction L. The force-applying component 76 is disposed in... Figure 8 The recess 78 provided on the upper surface of the first shaft 64 applies force (arrow F3) to the upper surface of the second shaft 66 and the upper surface of the first shaft 64 in a direction of separation. By providing the force-applying component 76, a buffering effect can be generated when the antenna shaft 20 rises and the rotating antenna 16 contacts the bottom wall portion 18. The force-applying component 76 is, for example, a compression spring.

[0102] In the antenna shaft 20 with the above structure, the materials of each component are different. Specifically, the first shaft 64, movable pins 58A and 58B, and positioning pins 62A and 62B are made of resin, while the second shaft 66 and force-applying components 74 and 76 are made of metal.

[0103] By making the second shaft 66 on the outside metal, it is possible to Figure 1A 、 Figure 1B coaxial configuration together with the waveguide structure 12 shown in FIG. 1. In the present embodiment, by making the inner diameter of the metal second shaft 66 be one quarter or less of the wavelength of the microwaves generated by the microwave generating device 10, the incidence of microwaves into the interior space of the second shaft 66 is suppressed. Thus, the interior space of the second shaft 66 is less affected by the supply of microwaves from the outside, and it is possible to house metal components inside. For example, by making the force applying members 74, 76 metal, it is possible to improve durability. By making the first shaft 64, the movable pins 58A, 58B, and the positioning pins 62A, 62B resin, it is possible to reduce costs.

[0104] In the above structure, it is possible to house the components inside the metal second shaft 66 and make the antenna shaft 20 compact, and it is possible to make the antenna drive mechanism 14 small.

[0105] Figure 10A 、 Figure 10B is a longitudinal sectional view schematically showing the periphery of the antenna shaft 20. Figure 10A shows a state in which the antenna shaft 20 is in the raised position (arrow H1), Figure 10B shows a state in which the antenna shaft 20 is in the lowered position (arrow H2).

[0106] As shown in FIG. 1, Figure 10A 、 Figure 10B The motor screw 22 is housed in the interior of the lower cover 38 in a rotatable state, and the coupling shaft 73 of the motor 24 is inserted through the through hole 50 of the lower cover 38 and connected. The threaded portion 70 provided to the outer peripheral portion of the motor screw 22 is screwed with the threaded portion 68 provided to the inner peripheral portion of the first shaft 64, and the motor shaft 21 and the antenna shaft 20 can rotate integrally with the rotational axis Ax1 as the center.

[0107] The ring member 44 having the rotation restricting portion 54 is sandwiched by the upper cover 36 and the lower cover 38 in the vertical direction, and is positioned in the circumferential direction R. The rotation restricting portion 54 faces the outer peripheral portion 23 of the antenna shaft 20 in a manner to be engaged with the movable pin 58 of the antenna shaft 20.

[0108] The rotation restricting portion 54 is provided in two layers at different positions in the axial direction L. The lower layer rotation restricting portion 54 restricts the rotation of the first rotation direction R1 of the antenna shaft 20, and on the other hand, allows the rotation of the second rotation direction R2 of the antenna shaft 20. The upper layer rotation restricting portion 54 restricts the rotation of the second rotation direction R2 of the antenna shaft 20, and on the other hand, allows the rotation of the first rotation direction R1 of the antenna shaft 20.

[0109] As shown in FIG. 1, Figure 10AAs shown, when the motor shaft 21 and antenna shaft 20 rotate in the first rotation direction R1, the movable pin 58, when located in the lower layer, engages with the lower layer's rotation limiting part 54, thus restricting rotation in the first rotation direction R1. In this state, the motor shaft 21 rotates in the first rotation direction R1, causing the antenna shaft 20, which is screwed to the motor shaft 21, to rise relative to it along the axial direction L (arrow H1). Since the upper layer's rotation limiting part 54 does not restrict the antenna shaft 20's rotation in the first rotation direction R1, the antenna shaft 20 can continue to rotate in the first rotation direction R1 when the movable pin 58 is in the upper layer.

[0110] like Figure 10B As shown, when the motor shaft 21 and antenna shaft 20 rotate in the second rotation direction R2, the movable pin 58, when located in the upper layer, engages with the upper rotation limiting part 54, thus restricting rotation in the second rotation direction R2. In this state, the motor shaft 21 rotates in the second rotation direction R2, causing the antenna shaft 20, which is screwed to the motor shaft 21, to descend relative to it along the axial direction L (arrow H2). Since the lower rotation limiting part 54 does not restrict the rotation of the antenna shaft 20 in the second rotation direction R2, the antenna shaft 20 can continue to rotate in the second rotation direction R2 even when the movable pin 58 is in the lower layer.

[0111] By switching the rotation directions of the motor shaft 21 and the antenna shaft 20 through the control unit 17, the rotation and up-and-down movements of the rotating antenna 16 can be performed. Since the rotation and up-and-down movements of the rotating antenna 16 can be achieved by a single motor 24, it is easier to achieve both high functionality and miniaturization of the antenna drive mechanism 14 compared to the case where separate motors are provided for rotation and up-and-down movements.

[0112] Next, use Figure 11 The following figures will describe the structure and function of the rotation limiting part 54 and the ring member 44 having the rotation limiting part 54.

[0113] Figure 11 , Figure 12 These are three-dimensional views of the ring component 44 from different angles. Figure 11 This is a perspective view taken from the angle where one of the pair of positioning parts 56A and 56B of the ring component 44, positioning part 56A, is located on the inside side. Figure 12 This is a perspective view taken from the inside of another positioning part 56B.

[0114] like Figure 11 , Figure 12 As shown, the generally cylindrical ring member 44 has a rotation limiting portion 54 on its inner circumference 89. The rotation limiting portion 54 includes a first rotation limiting portion 90 located in the lower layer along the axial direction L and a second rotation limiting portion 91 located in the upper layer along the axial direction L.

[0115] As Figure 11 illustrated, the first rotation restricting portion 90 has a restricting wall 92A and a slope 94A. As Figure 12 illustrated, the first rotation restricting portion 90 has a restricting wall 92B and a slope 94B. Figure 11 , Figure 12 The first rotation restricting portion 90 illustrated in FIG. 6 has a pair of restricting walls 92A, 92B and a pair of slopes 94A, 94B.

[0116] The restricting walls 92A, 92B are wall portions that protrude from the inner circumferential portion 89 to the radially inner side in a manner of restricting the rotation in the first rotation direction Rl of the antenna shaft 20. The restricting walls 92A, 92B each face the second rotation direction R2. The pair of restricting walls 92A, 92B are provided at positions facing each other and contact the pair of movable pins 58A, 58B at substantially the same timing. The slopes 94A, 94B are respectively provided at positions adjacent to the restricting walls 92A, 92B.

[0117] The slopes 94A, 94B are respectively inclined walls for assisting the movable pins 58A, 58B in passing over the restricting walls 92A, 92B when the antenna shaft 20 rotates in the second rotation direction R2. The slopes 94A, 94B are each smoothly inclined in a manner of gradually increasing in height along the second rotation direction R2 in a direction approaching the restricting walls 92A, 92B. By providing the restricting walls 92A, 92B and the slopes 94A, 94B, it is possible to restrict the rotation in the first rotation direction Rl of the antenna shaft 20 while allowing the rotation in the second rotation direction R2 of the antenna shaft 20.

[0118] As Figure 11 , Figure 12 illustrated, the second rotation restricting portion 91 of the upper layer has a pair of restricting walls 96A, 96B and a pair of slopes 98A, 98B.

[0119] The restricting walls 96A, 96B are wall portions that protrude from the inner circumferential portion 89 to the radially inner side in a manner of restricting the rotation in the second rotation direction R2 of the antenna shaft 20. The restricting walls 96A, 96B each face the first rotation direction Rl. The pair of restricting walls 96A, 96B are provided at positions facing each other and contact the pair of movable pins 58A, 58B at substantially the same timing. The slopes 98A, 98B are respectively provided at positions adjacent to the restricting walls 96A, 96B.

[0120] The slopes 98A, 98B are inclined walls for assisting the movable pins 58A, 58B to pass over the restriction walls 96A, 96B when the antenna shaft 20 is rotated in the first rotation direction Rl. The slopes 98A, 98B are smoothly inclined in a manner that the height gradually increases along the first rotation direction Rl toward the restriction walls 96A, 96B. By providing the restriction walls 96A, 96B and the slopes 98A, 98B, it is possible to allow the rotation in the first rotation direction Rl of the antenna shaft 20 while restricting the rotation in the second rotation direction R2 of the antenna shaft 20.

[0121] A partition wall portion 100 is provided in a middle layer between the lower layer and the upper layer of the inner circumferential portion 89. The partition wall portion 100 is a wall portion that protrudes inward from the inner circumferential portion 89 in a manner of partitioning the lower layer and the upper layer, and extends along the circumferential direction R. By the partition wall portion 100, a groove 102 is formed in the lower layer, and a groove 104 is formed in the upper layer.

[0122] A portion of the partition wall portion 100 in the circumferential direction R is interrupted, and a gap 106 is formed. The gap 106 is a gap that extends along the axial direction L, and is provided between the first rotation restriction portion 90 and the second rotation restriction portion 91. The first rotation restriction portion 90 and the second rotation restriction portion 91 are partitioned in the circumferential direction R by the gap 106. By providing the gap 106, it is possible to secure a space in which the movable pins 58A, 58B and the antenna shaft 20 move up and down along the axial direction L as the motor shaft 21 rotates when the movable pins 58A, 58B are restricted from rotating by the restriction walls 92A, 92B or the restriction walls 96A, 96B.

[0123] Use Figures 13-16 The function and operation of the rotation restriction portion 54 having the above-described structure will be described.

[0124] Figure 13 is a perspective view for explaining the operation when the movable pins 58A, 58B and the antenna shaft 20 are rotated in the first rotation direction Rl while the movable pins 58A, 58B are in the lower layer. In Figure 13 and Figures 14-16 In the

[0125] As shown in Figure 13 When the movable pins 58A, 58B in the lower layer are rotated in the first rotation direction Rl, the restriction walls 92A, 92B that protrude in a manner of facing the second rotation direction R2 abut, and the rotation is restricted. In response to the rotation of the motor shaft 21 in the first rotation direction Rl in a state where the rotation of the antenna shaft 20 is restricted, the antenna shaft 20 that is screwed with the motor shaft 21 relatively rises along the axial direction L (arrow Hl). The movable pins 58A, 58B move from the lower layer to the upper layer via the middle layer.

[0126] The movable pins 58A, 58B moved to the upper layer rotate in the first rotation direction Rl in the grooves 104 of the upper layer.

[0127] Figure 14 is a perspective view for explaining the operation in the case where the movable pins 58A, 58B and the antenna shaft 20 rotate in the first rotation direction Rl when the movable pins 58A, 58B are located in the upper layer.

[0128] As shown in Figure 14 , when the movable pins 58A, 58B located in the upper layer rotate in the first rotation direction Rl, the inclined slopes 98A, 98B gradually increasing in the first rotation direction Rl along the height slide over the restriction walls 96A, 96B. While the movable pins 58A, 58B slide along the inclined slopes 98A, 98B, the urging member 74 slides while contracting. Thereby, the rotation in the first rotation direction Rl can be continued.

[0129] Figure 15 is a perspective view for explaining the operation in the case where the movable pins 58A, 58B and the antenna shaft 20 rotate in the second rotation direction R2 when the movable pins 58A, 58B are located in the upper layer.

[0130] As shown in Figure 15 , when the movable pins 58A, 58B located in the upper layer rotate in the second rotation direction R2, the rotation is restricted by the restriction walls 96A, 96B protruding in a manner facing the first rotation direction Rl abutting. In response to the rotation of the motor shaft 21 in the second rotation direction R2 in the state where the rotation of the antenna shaft 20 is restricted, the antenna shaft 20 screwing with the motor shaft 21 relatively descends (arrow H2) along the axial direction L. The movable pins 58A, 58B move from the upper layer to the lower layer via the middle layer.

[0131] The movable pins 58A, 58B moved to the lower layer rotate in the second rotation direction R2 in the grooves 102 of the lower layer.

[0132] Figure 16 is a perspective view for explaining the operation in the case where the movable pins 58A, 58B and the antenna shaft 20 rotate in the second rotation direction R2 when the movable pins 58A, 58B are located in the lower layer.

[0133] As shown in Figure 16 , when the movable pins 58A, 58B located in the lower layer rotate in the second rotation direction R2, the inclined slopes 94A, 94B gradually increasing in the second rotation direction R2 along the height slide over the restriction walls 92A, 92B. While the movable pins 58A, 58B slide along the inclined slopes 94A, 94B, the urging member 74 slides while contracting. Thereby, the rotation in the second rotation direction R2 can be continued.

[0134] According to the above structure, the movable pin 58A, 58B of the antenna shaft 20 and the rotation restriction portion 54 of the ring member 44 can be used to achieve the rotation function and the up-and-down movement function of the rotary antenna 16. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the rotation of the antenna shaft 20 can be achieved by the cover member 26 in which the ring member 44 is built in and the antenna shaft 20 provided inside the cover member 26, and the operation of the antenna driving mechanism 14 can be achieved, thereby realizing the miniaturization of the antenna driving mechanism 14. Figure 3A , Figure 3B As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the rotation of the antenna shaft 20 can be achieved by the cover member 26 in which the ring member 44 is built in and the antenna shaft 20 provided inside the cover member 26, and the operation of the antenna driving mechanism 14 can be achieved, thereby realizing the miniaturization of the antenna driving mechanism 14.

[0135] As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the rotation of the antenna shaft 20 can be achieved by the cover member 26 in which the ring member 44 is built in and the antenna shaft 20 provided inside the cover member 26, and the operation of the antenna driving mechanism 14 can be achieved, thereby realizing the miniaturization of the antenna driving mechanism 14. Figure 7 , Figure 8 As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the rotation of the antenna shaft 20 can be achieved by the cover member 26 in which the ring member 44 is built in and the antenna shaft 20 provided inside the cover member 26, and the operation of the antenna driving mechanism 14 can be achieved, thereby realizing the miniaturization of the antenna driving mechanism 14.

[0136] (Action and Effect)

[0137] As described above, the antenna driving mechanism 14 of the present embodiment includes the antenna shaft 20 that supports the rotary antenna 16 for supplying microwaves to the heating chamber 4, the motor shaft 21 that is screwed with the antenna shaft 20, can rotate integrally with the antenna shaft 20, and is rotationally driven in the first rotation direction R1 or the second rotation direction R2, and the first rotation restriction portion 90 that selectively restricts the rotation of the antenna shaft 20 in the first rotation direction R1 and the second rotation restriction portion 91 that selectively restricts the rotation of the antenna shaft 20 in the second rotation direction R2, and the antenna shaft 20 relatively moves along the axial direction L from the lowered position (first position) in which the rotation is restricted to the raised position (second position) in which the rotation is not restricted in response to the rotation of the motor shaft 21 in the first rotation direction R1 in the state in which the rotation is restricted by the first rotation restriction portion 90, and the antenna shaft 20 relatively moves along the axial direction L from the raised position in which the rotation is restricted to the lowered position in which the rotation is not restricted in response to the rotation of the motor shaft 21 in the second rotation direction R2 in the state in which the rotation is restricted by the second rotation restriction portion 91.

[0138] According to such a structure, the position of the antenna shaft 20 in the axial direction L is changed by switching the rotation direction of the motor shaft 21, and the axial movement of the rotary antenna 16 is achieved. Thus, the rotational movement and the axial movement of the rotary antenna 16 can be achieved with a simple structure, and the high functionality and the miniaturization of the antenna driving mechanism 14 can be achieved.

[0139] Also, in the antenna driving mechanism 14 of the present embodiment, a cover member 26 is provided so as to oppose the outer peripheral portion 23 of the antenna shaft 20, and the first rotation restriction portion 90 and the second rotation restriction portion 91 are provided to an inner peripheral portion 89 of the cover member 26. According to such a structure, the inner peripheral portion 89 of the cover member 26 can be used to configure the rotation restriction portions 90, 91.

[0140] Also, in the antenna driving mechanism 14 of the present embodiment, the waveguide structure 12 that transmits microwaves to the rotary antenna 16 is provided, and the cover member 26 is attached to the waveguide structure 12. According to such a structure, the cover member 26 can be easily provided.

[0141] Also, in the antenna driving mechanism 14 of the present embodiment, the cover member 26 includes a ring member 44 (first member) that configures the inner peripheral portion 89 with the first rotation restriction portion 90 and the second rotation restriction portion 91, and an upper cover 36 (second member) that is attached to the waveguide structure 12, and the ring member 44 is attached to the inner side of the upper cover 36 (second member). According to such a structure, it is easy to arrange the shapes of the rotation restriction portions 90, 91 provided to the ring member 44 while attaching the upper cover 36 to the waveguide structure 12.

[0142] Also, in the antenna driving mechanism 14 of the present embodiment, the antenna shaft 20 has movable pins 58A, 58B (protruding portions) that protrude in a lateral direction that intersects the axial direction L, the first rotation restriction portion 90 has restriction walls 92A, 92B (first restriction walls) that receive the movable pins 58A, 58B in the first rotation direction Rl, the second rotation restriction portion 91 has restriction walls 96A, 96B (second restriction walls) that receive the movable pins 58A, 58B in the second rotation direction R2, and the positions of the restriction walls 92A, 92B and the restriction walls 96A, 96B in the axial direction L are different from each other. According to such a structure, the rotation restriction portions 90, 91 can be implemented with a simple configuration.

[0143] Also, in the antenna driving mechanism 14 of the present embodiment, the first rotation restricting portion 90 has slopes 94A, 94B (first slopes) that are provided adjacent to the restricting walls 92A, 92B (first restricting walls) and gradually increase in height along the second rotation direction R2, and the second rotation restricting portion 91 has slopes 98A, 98B (second slopes) that are provided adjacent to the restricting walls 96A, 96B (second restricting walls) and gradually increase in height along the first rotation direction Rl. According to such a structure, it is possible to configure such that the restricting walls 92A, 92B restrict rotation in the first rotation direction Rl of the antenna shaft 20, while allowing rotation in the second rotation direction R2 of the antenna shaft 20, and the restricting walls 96A, 96B restrict rotation in the second rotation direction R2 of the antenna shaft 20, while allowing rotation in the first rotation direction Rl of the antenna shaft 20.

[0144] Also, in the antenna driving mechanism 14 of the present embodiment, the antenna shaft 20 further has an urging member 74 (first urging member) that urges the movable pins 58A, 58B (protruding portions) in the protruding direction. According to such a structure, by urging the movable pins 58A, 58B in the protruding direction, it is easy to make the movable pins 58A, 58B more reliably come into contact with the restricting walls 92A, 92B, 96A, 96B.

[0145] Also, in the antenna driving mechanism 14 of the present embodiment, the movable pins 58A, 58B (protruding portions) have a movable pin 58A (first movable pin) that protrudes to one side in the lateral direction and a movable pin 58B (second movable pin) that protrudes to the other side in the lateral direction, and the urging member 74 (first urging member) urges the movable pins 58A, 58B in the respective protruding directions. According to such a structure, by using a common urging member 74, it is possible to reduce costs.

[0146] Also, in the antenna driving mechanism 14 of the present embodiment, the antenna shaft 20 has a first shaft 64 that is screwed to the motor shaft 21, and a second shaft 66 that is disposed outside the first shaft 64 and is capable of moving integrally with the first shaft 64, and the rotary antenna 16 is mounted to the second shaft 66. According to such a structure, it is possible to make the shapes and materials of the first shaft 64 and the second shaft 66 different.

[0147] Also, in the antenna driving mechanism 14 of the present embodiment, there is further provided an urging member 76 (second urging member) that generates a force in the axial direction L between the first shaft 64 and the second shaft 66. According to such a structure, it is possible to generate a cushioning action when the rotary antenna 16 comes into contact with another object (for example, the bottom wall portion 18 of the heating chamber 4).

[0148] Also, in the antenna drive mechanism 14 of the present embodiment, the first shaft 64 is made of resin, and the second shaft 66 is made of metal. According to such a structure, by making the second shaft 66 of metal, a coaxial structure for supplying microwaves can be implemented, and by making the first shaft 64 of resin, weight reduction and cost reduction can be achieved.

[0149] Also, in the antenna drive mechanism 14 of the present embodiment, the first shaft 64 has movable pins 58A, 58B (protruding portions) that protrude in a lateral direction (radial direction of the antenna shaft 20) that intersects the axial direction L, and the second shaft 66 has through-holes 82 through which the movable pins 58A, 58B pass in the lateral direction. According to such a structure, the movable pins 58A, 58B that engage with the rotation restriction portions 90, 91 can be made to protrude outward while the antenna shaft 20 is divided into two shafts 64, 66.

[0150] Also, in the antenna drive mechanism 14 of the present embodiment, when the antenna shaft 20 is in the lowered position (first position), the rotating antenna 16 is positioned away from the bottom wall portion 18 (wall portion) that constitutes the heating chamber 4, and when the antenna shaft 20 is in the raised position (second position), the rotating antenna 16 is in contact with the bottom wall portion 18. According to such a structure, by bringing the rotating antenna 16 into contact with the bottom wall portion 18 when the antenna shaft 20 approaches the heating chamber 4, the radiation pattern of the microwaves can be stabilized, thereby achieving uniformity in the cooking results.

[0151] Also, in the antenna drive mechanism 14 of the present embodiment, the rotating antenna 16 is in contact with the bottom wall portion 18 of the heating chamber 4. According to such a structure, microwaves can be supplied from below the heating chamber 4.

[0152] As described above, the antenna drive mechanism 14 of the present embodiment is provided with: an antenna shaft 20 that supports a rotating antenna 16 for supplying microwaves to a heating chamber 4; a motor 24 that imparts a rotational drive force of a first rotational direction R1 or a second rotational direction R2 to the antenna shaft 20; a rotation restriction portion 54 that selectively restricts the rotational movement of the antenna shaft 20 in such a way that the position of the axial direction L of the antenna shaft 20 is set to a lowered position (first position) when the antenna shaft 20 is subjected to the rotational drive force of the first rotational direction R1, and the position of the axial direction L of the antenna shaft 20 is set to a raised position (second position) that is different from the lowered position when the antenna shaft 20 is subjected to the rotational drive force of the second rotational direction R2; and a control portion 17 that controls the rotational direction of the rotational drive force of the motor 24.

[0153] According to such a structure, by switching the rotation direction of the rotation driving force of the motor 24, the position in the axial direction L of the antenna shaft 20 can be changed, and the rotation antenna 16 can be caused to perform shaft movement. Thus, the rotation movement and the shaft movement of the rotation antenna 16 can be achieved with a simple structure, and the high functionality and the miniaturization of the antenna driving mechanism 14 can be both achieved.

[0154] As described above, the microwave heating device 2 of the present embodiment includes the antenna driving mechanism 14, the rotation antenna 16 driven by the antenna driving mechanism 14, and the heating chamber 4 to which microwaves are supplied from the rotation antenna 16. According to such a structure, the same effects as those of the antenna driving mechanism 14 can be achieved.

[0155] The above-described embodiments have been described for the present disclosure, but the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments. For example, in the present embodiment, the movable pins 58A, 58B are described as movable, and the restriction walls 92A, 92B, 96A, 96B are described as fixed, but the present disclosure is not limited to such a case. For example, the movable pins can be fixed, and the restriction walls can be movable. In this case, the biasing member 74 that biases the movable pins outward can be omitted, and a biasing member that biases the restriction walls inward can be provided. On the other hand, in the structure in which the movable pins 58A, 58B are movable and are biased by the biasing member 74 as in the embodiments, the biasing member 74 made of metal can be housed inside the second shaft 66 made of metal, the supply of microwaves can not be affected, a biasing member 74 with high durability can be used, and the miniaturization of the antenna shaft 20 can also be facilitated.

[0156] Also, in the above-described embodiments, one pair of each of the movable pins 58A, 58B, the positioning pins 62A, 62B, the restriction walls 92A, 92B, the slopes 94A, 94B, the restriction walls 96A, 96B, and the slopes 98A, 98B is provided, but the present disclosure is not limited to such a case, and at least one of each can be provided.

[0157] The present disclosure has been fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings and in association with preferred embodiments, but various modifications and changes will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such modifications and changes, as long as they do not depart from the scope of the invention of the appended claims, should be understood to be included therein. Also, the combination and the order of the elements in each embodiment can be changed without departing from the scope and the spirit of the present disclosure.

[0158] By appropriately combining any of the modifications in the above-described embodiments, the effects possessed by each modification can be achieved.

[0159] Industrial applicability

[0160] The present disclosure can be applied to an antenna driving mechanism that drives a rotary antenna and a microwave heating device provided with the antenna driving mechanism.

[0161] KEY

[0162] 2 Microwave heating device

[0163] 4 Heating chamber

[0164] 14 Antenna driving mechanism

[0165] 16 Rotary antenna

[0166] 17 Control section

[0167] 20 Antenna shaft

[0168] 21 Motor shaft

[0169] 24 Motor

[0170] 54 Rotation limiting section

[0171] 90 First rotation limiting section

[0172] 91 Second rotation limiting section

[0173] L Axial direction

[0174] R1 First rotation direction

[0175] R2 Second rotation direction

Claims

1. An antenna driving mechanism comprising: an antenna shaft that supports a rotating antenna for supplying microwaves to a heating chamber; a motor shaft that is screwed with the antenna shaft, can rotate integrally with the antenna shaft, and is rotationally driven in a first rotation direction or a second rotation direction; and a first rotation restriction portion that selectively restricts rotation of the antenna shaft in the first rotation direction, and a second rotation restriction portion that selectively restricts rotation of the antenna shaft in the second rotation direction, the antenna shaft relatively moves along an axial direction from a first position where the rotation is restricted by the first rotation restriction portion to a second position where the rotation is not restricted, in response to rotation of the motor shaft in the first rotation direction in a state where the rotation is restricted by the first rotation restriction portion, the antenna shaft relatively moves along the axial direction from the second position where the rotation is restricted by the second rotation restriction portion to the first position where the rotation is not restricted, in response to rotation of the motor shaft in the second rotation direction in a state where the rotation is restricted by the second rotation restriction portion.

2. The antenna driving mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the antenna driving mechanism further comprises a cover member that is provided to oppose an outer peripheral portion of the antenna shaft, the first rotation restriction portion and the second rotation restriction portion are provided to an inner peripheral portion of the cover member.

3. The antenna driving mechanism according to claim 2, wherein the antenna driving mechanism further comprises a waveguide structure that transmits microwaves toward the rotating antenna, the cover member is attached to the waveguide structure.

4. The antenna driving mechanism according to claim 3, wherein the cover member has a first member that constitutes the inner peripheral portion with the first rotation restriction portion and the second rotation restriction portion, and a second member that is attached to the waveguide structure, the first member is attached to an inner side of the second member.

5. The antenna driving mechanism according to claim 2, wherein the antenna shaft has a protruding portion that protrudes in a lateral direction intersecting the axial direction, the first rotation restriction portion has a first restriction wall that receives the protruding portion in the first rotation direction, the second rotation restriction portion has a second restriction wall that receives the protruding portion in the second rotation direction, positions of the first restriction wall and the second restriction wall in the axial direction are different from each other.

6. The antenna driving mechanism according to claim 5, wherein the first rotation restriction portion has a first slope that is provided adjacent to the first restriction wall and has a height gradually increasing in the second rotation direction, the second rotation restriction portion has a second slope that is provided adjacent to the second restriction wall and has a height gradually increasing in the first rotation direction.

7. The antenna driving mechanism according to claim 5, wherein the antenna shaft further has a first urging member that applies a force to the protruding portion in a protruding direction.

8. The antenna driving mechanism according to claim 7, wherein the protruding portion has a first protruding portion that protrudes to one side in the lateral direction and a second protruding portion that protrudes to the other side in the lateral direction, ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ The first urging member urges the first and second protrusions in the respective protruding directions.

9. The antenna drive mechanism according to claim 1, wherein The antenna shaft has a first shaft that is screwed with the motor shaft, and a second shaft that is disposed outside the first shaft and is movable integrally with the first shaft, The rotary antenna is mounted to the second shaft.

10. The antenna drive mechanism according to claim 9, wherein The antenna drive mechanism further has a second urging member that generates a force in the axial direction between the first shaft and the second shaft.

11. The antenna drive mechanism according to claim 9, wherein The first shaft is made of resin, and the second shaft is made of metal.

12. The antenna drive mechanism according to claim 9, wherein The first shaft has a protrusion that protrudes in a lateral direction intersecting the axial direction, and the second shaft has a through-hole through which the protrusion passes in the lateral direction.

13. The antenna drive mechanism according to claim 1, wherein When the antenna shaft is in the first position, the rotary antenna is in a position separated from a wall portion that constitutes the heating chamber, and when the antenna shaft is in the second position, the rotary antenna is in contact with the wall portion.

14. The antenna drive mechanism according to claim 13, wherein The wall portion is a bottom wall portion of the heating chamber.

15. An antenna drive mechanism comprising: an antenna shaft that supports a rotary antenna for supplying microwaves to a heating chamber; a motor that imparts a rotary drive force of a first rotation direction or a second rotation direction to the antenna shaft; a rotation restricting portion that selectively restricts a rotation action of the antenna shaft in such a manner that, when the antenna shaft is subjected to the rotary drive force of the first rotation direction, a position of an axial direction of the antenna shaft is disposed at a first position, and when the antenna shaft is subjected to the rotary drive force of the second rotation direction, the position of the axial direction of the antenna shaft is disposed at a second position different from the first position; and a control portion that controls a rotation direction of the rotary drive force of the motor.

16. A microwave heating apparatus comprising: the antenna drive mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 15; the rotary antenna driven by the antenna drive mechanism; and the heating chamber to which microwaves are supplied by the rotary antenna.

Images