microwave oven

Abstract

To provide an electronic oven capable of improving the performance of cooling electric components arranged in an exterior body without impairing the designability and usability.SOLUTION: An electronic oven 1 includes an exterior body 11, a heating chamber 21 for heating an object, an arrangement part 30 formed between the exterior body 11 and the heating chamber 21, a menu board 56 on which a plurality of fixed menus 57 are noted together with numbers 58, a liquid crystal panel 54 capable of displaying figures corresponding to the numbers 58 of the menus 57, and an operation part 51 for selecting one of the plurality of menus 57, the exterior body 11 having a suction hole 68 for sucking air from the outside of the arrangement part 30 to the inside, the menu board 56 having a vent hole 56h communicating with the suction hole 68 in a non-use state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a microwave oven. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, microwave ovens have been designed to automatically heat food placed in the heating chamber according to a set menu, and the number of menu options has increased. If all menu options were displayed on the exterior of the microwave oven and a display unit was provided to show the selected menu, user convenience would be improved, but the design of the microwave oven would be impaired.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a microwave oven in which a menu guide can be stored in the exterior body. In this microwave oven, for example, by displaying multiple menus on the menu guide and providing a display unit on the exterior body that can display the multiple menus individually, usability for the user can be improved without compromising the design. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 59-65313 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In this type of microwave oven, the space between the exterior body and the heating chamber serves as a mounting section for placing electrical components, and it is preferable to ensure ventilation in this mounting section to improve cooling of the electrical components. However, the microwave oven in Patent Document 1 does not give any consideration to cooling of the electrical components placed in the mounting section.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a microwave oven that can improve the cooling performance of electrical components arranged inside an exterior body without compromising design and usability. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] One aspect of the present invention provides a microwave oven comprising: an exterior body; a heating chamber provided within the exterior body for heating food using microwaves; a placement section formed between the exterior body and the heating chamber and in which electrical components are placed; a menu board attached to the exterior body that displays a predetermined number of menus and that allows movement between a use position in which the plurality of menus are exposed from the exterior body and a non-use position in which the plurality of menus are covered by the exterior body; a display section that can selectively display the plurality of menus; and an operation section that can change the menu displayed on the display section and select one of the plurality of menus, the exterior body having an intake hole for drawing air from outside the placement section into the interior, and the menu board having an air vent that communicates with the intake hole when in the non-use position.

[0008] The menu board is attached to the exterior so that it can be moved between a use position, in which multiple menus are exposed, and a non-use position, in which they are covered. By operating the operation unit, the menu displayed on the display unit can be matched with the desired menu, allowing for a predetermined automatic heating process. This improves the user's usability of the microwave oven while preventing the microwave oven's design from being impaired compared to when multiple menus are all printed on the surface of the exterior. Furthermore, the exterior is provided with an intake hole for drawing air from outside the placement section into the interior, and the menu board is provided with an air vent that communicates with the placement section between the heating chamber and the exterior when in the non-use position, thereby improving the cooling of electrical components placed within the placement section. This prevents malfunction of the microwave oven (controller) due to excessive temperature rise within the placement section.

[0009] The device includes a door that is openably attached to the exterior body and closes the opening of the heating chamber, the menu board is disposed on the bottom side of the exterior body, and the ventilation hole is disposed on the end of the menu board that is closer to the door. In other words, the ventilation hole is provided in a part of the menu board where there is no material that would obstruct ventilation under normal usage conditions. This ensures ventilation inside and outside the placement area.

[0010] The electrical components include a fan for drawing in air from outside the placement section and discharging the air from inside the placement section to the outside, and an exhaust hole for discharging the air from inside the placement section to the outside is provided in the placement section downstream of the airflow from the fan, and the electrical components include a power supply board, an inverter, and a microwave source arranged in this order from the intake hole to the exhaust hole. The fan draws air through the intake hole provided downstream of the air hole and discharges it through the exhaust hole. This ensures forced air cooling of the electrical components in the placement section between the heating chamber and the exterior, more specifically the power supply board, the inverter, and the microwave source.

[0011] The vent hole and the intake hole are formed to pass through in directions that intersect with each other, thereby preventing failure (short circuit) of electrical components caused by a thin, linear object entering the placement section from the outside of the exterior body through the vent hole and the intake hole.

[0012] The menu board displays a two-dimensional code for referencing the heating settings for menus other than the plurality of menus. This allows users to read the two-dimensional code using a communication device such as a mobile phone or personal computer and refer to a dedicated website, which may enable them to heat food at the optimal settings even for menus not displayed on the menu board. This improves user convenience. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] The microwave oven of the present invention can improve the cooling performance of the electrical components disposed inside the exterior body without impairing the design and usability. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a microwave oven according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the microwave oven of FIG. 1 cut in the center in the front-to-rear direction. [Figure 3] 2 is a cross-sectional view of the microwave oven of FIG. 1 cut at the center in the width direction. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a front view of the microwave oven of FIG. 1. [Figure 5] 5 is an exploded perspective view of the microwave oven of FIG. 4 as seen from below. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a plan view of the menu board of FIG. 5. [Figure 7] FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the microwave oven of FIG. 5. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0016] Figures 1 to 3 show a microwave oven 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The X direction in the drawings is the front-to-rear direction of the microwave oven 1, with the direction indicated by the arrow being the rear side and the direction opposite the arrow being the front side. The Y direction is the width direction of the microwave oven 1, with the direction indicated by the arrow being the left side and the direction opposite the arrow being the right side. The Z direction is the height direction of the microwave oven 1, with the direction indicated by the arrow being the top side and the direction opposite the arrow being the bottom side.

[0017] 1 to 3, microwave oven 1 includes microwave body 10 having heating chamber 21, and door 32 attached to microwave body 10 so as to be able to open and close. Microwave oven 1 also includes magnetron 40 and heater 41 for heating the food to be cooked in heating chamber 21, infrared sensor (first sensor) 42 and thermistor (second sensor) 43 for detecting the temperature, and control unit 45.

[0018] 4 to 6, three operation units 50 to 52 and a liquid crystal panel (display unit) 54 are provided on the front of the microwave body 10, and a menu board 56 is attached to the outer surface of the bottom of the microwave body 10. The operation units 50 and 51 are operated to change the number displayed on the liquid crystal panel 54 so that it matches the number 58 corresponding to the menu 57 displayed on the menu board 56. This causes the control unit 45 to control the magnetron 40 and heater 41 based on the temperatures detected by the infrared sensor 42 and thermistor 43, respectively, and perform the heating process determined according to the selected menu 57.

[0019] 1 to 3, the microwave oven 1 of this embodiment is provided with a dedicated plate 60 and a container 65 which are detachably arranged in the heating chamber 21, and the food to be heated can be placed not only directly on the bottom wall 22 of the heating chamber 21 but also in the dedicated container 65.

[0020] The microwave body 10, the door 32, the menu board 56, the plate 60, and the container 65 will be described in detail below.

[0021] 1 to 3, the microwave oven body 10 includes an exterior body 11 and a heating chamber 21 provided within the exterior body 11. The volume of the heating chamber 21 is smaller than the volume of the exterior body 11, and the space between the exterior body 11 and the heating chamber 21 forms an arrangement section 30 in which electrical components such as a magnetron 40 are arranged.

[0022] The exterior body 11 is defined by a bottom wall 12, a top wall 13, a pair of side walls 14, a rear wall 15, and a front wall 16. These walls 12 to 16 are all made of metal plates that are microwave reflectors.

[0023] 5 and 7, the bottom wall 12 is cylindrical and includes a generally rectangular bottom portion 12a extending along the XY plane, a cylindrical outer peripheral portion 12b rising from the outer periphery of the bottom portion 12a, and a flange portion 12c provided at the upper end of the outer peripheral portion 12b. Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, the top wall 13 is formed of a rectangular plate extending along the XY plane and facing the bottom portion 12a in the height direction. The pair of side walls 14 are each formed of a rectangular plate extending along the XZ plane and facing each other in the width direction. In this embodiment, the top wall 13 and the pair of side walls 14 are integrally formed by press working. The rear wall 15 is formed of a rectangular plate extending along the YZ plane with a central portion bulging rearward. The front wall 16 is formed of a rectangular frame extending along the YZ plane and with an opening in the center. These walls 12 to 16 are connected by screws.

[0024] The heating chamber 21 is defined by a bottom wall 22, a top wall 23, a pair of side walls 24, a rear wall 25, and a door 32, all of which are rectangular plates. Of these, the bottom wall 22 is made of a material that is transparent to microwaves, such as ceramic, glass, or resin, and is attached to the upper end of a metal cover 27, which is a microwave reflector. The top wall 23, the pair of side walls 24, and the rear wall 25 are all made of metal plates, which are microwave reflectors. The door 32 will be described in detail later.

[0025] The bottom wall 22 extends along the XY plane and is connected to the upper end of the outer periphery 12b of the bottom wall 12 via a cover 27 by screws. The space between the cover 27 and the bottom 12a of the exterior body 11 forms an electrical component placement section 30. The top wall 23 is disposed above the bottom wall 22 in the height direction and faces the bottom wall 22, extending along the XY plane. The pair of side walls 24 extend along the XZ plane and face each other in the width direction. The lower ends of the pair of side walls 24 are continuous with the cover 27, and the upper ends of the pair of side walls 24 are continuous with the top wall 23. The front ends of the cover 27, the top wall 23, and the pair of side walls 24 are continuous with the front wall 16 of the exterior body 11, defining an opening 26 of the heating chamber 21. The rear wall 25 extends along the YZ plane and is continuous with the rear ends of the cover 27, the top wall 23, and the pair of side walls 24.

[0026] 1 and 2, guide rails 28, 29 for positioning the plate 60 are provided on each of the pair of side walls 24. The guide rails 28, 29 are provided by pressing a portion of the side wall 24 to bulge toward the center in the width direction within the heating chamber 21, and extend in the front-to-rear direction. Of these, the upper guide rail 28 is provided in an area above the center of the overall height of the heating chamber 21, and is disposed at the same position in the height direction on each of the pair of side walls 24. The lower guide rails 29 are provided in an area below the center of the overall height of the heating chamber 21, and is disposed at the same position in the height direction on each of the pair of side walls 24.

[0027] 1 and 3, door 32 is attached to the front side of exterior body 11 and releasably closes opening 26 of heating chamber 21. Door 32 is rotatable about a rotation axis (not shown) extending in the width direction between an open position shown in FIG. 1 and a closed position shown in FIG. 3. Door 32 includes a frame 33 made of opaque resin that is transparent to microwaves, and a window 34 through which the interior of heating chamber 21 can be seen. A reflective layer 35 made of punched metal with a large number of holes, for example, 1 mm in diameter, that is capable of reflecting microwaves and ensuring visibility is provided on the inside of window 34. However, door 32 may also be configured to rotate horizontally about a rotation axis that extends in the height direction.

[0028] 2 and 3, the range body 10 further includes a magnetron 40, a heater 41, an infrared sensor 42, a thermistor 43, and a control unit 45.

[0029] Magnetron 40 is a microwave source that outputs microwaves and is disposed at the end of a metal duct (waveguide) 40a. Magnetron 40 and duct 40a are disposed within mounting section 30, and the end of duct 40a opposite magnetron 40 is connected to cover 27. An antenna 40b that can be rotated by a motor is disposed within cover 27 so as to be positioned at the center of bottom wall 22 in the width direction and front-to-rear direction. The microwaves output by magnetron 40 are guided into cover 27 by duct 40a and output from bottom wall 22 into heating chamber 21 via antenna 40b, heating the food to be cooked. The area of ​​bottom wall 22 designated by reference symbol 40c constitutes the microwave transmission region, i.e., the output section that outputs microwaves into heating chamber 12.

[0030] The heater 41 is disposed adjacent to the heating chamber 21 side of the top wall 23 so as to be located above the upper guide rail 28, and heats the food in the heating chamber 21 by radiant heat. In this embodiment, a pair of heaters 41 are disposed at a distance in the front-to-rear direction, and each heater extends in the width direction. However, only one heater 41 may be provided at the center in the front-to-rear direction, or three or more heaters 41 may be provided. The heaters 41 may also be disposed at intervals in the width direction and extend in the front-to-rear direction. A heater may also be disposed below the bottom wall 22.

[0031] The infrared sensor 42 is a thermopile type that has an infrared detection element and detects the temperature of the food being cooked in the heating chamber 21. Referring to Fig. 2, the infrared sensor 42 is disposed in a recessed groove outside the heating chamber 21 that is formed by the upper guide rail 28 on the right side wall 24. The infrared sensor 42 is attached so as to face the inside of the heating chamber 21 through a through-hole provided in the center of the upper guide rail 28 in the front-to-rear direction.

[0032] 2 and 3, thermistor 43 includes a main body (not shown) located above top wall 23 outside heating chamber 21, and a detection unit 43a that penetrates top wall 23 and is located inside heating chamber 21, and detects the temperature inside heating chamber 21. More specifically, detection unit 43a is located at a corner of heating chamber 21 that is defined by top wall 23, rear wall 25, and right-hand side wall 24 in FIG. 2. A guard protrusion that is positioned in front of thermistor 43 and protrudes in a generally quadrangular pyramid shape toward left-hand side wall 24 is formed on right-hand side wall 24 by press working.

[0033] The control unit 45 is composed of, for example, a microcomputer, and is electrically connected to the magnetron 40, heater 41, infrared sensor 42, thermistor 43, etc. Based on the detection results of the infrared sensor 42 and thermistor 43, the control unit 45 controls the magnetron 40 and heater 41 to heat the food in the heating chamber 21 (heating process).

[0034] The heating process by the control unit 45 includes a microwave heating mode (range cooking), a heater heating mode (grill cooking), and a combined heating mode (combined cooking). In the microwave heating mode, only the magnetron 40 is operated until heating is completed based on the detection results of the infrared sensor 42 and the thermistor 43. In the heater heating mode, only the heater 41 is operated until heating is completed based on the detection results of the thermistor 43. In the combined heating mode, both the magnetron 40 and the heater 41 are operated based on the detection results of the infrared sensor 42 and thermistor 43.

[0035] Next, the dedicated plate 60 and container 65 used in the microwave oven 1 will be described.

[0036] 1 and 2, the plate 60 is rectangular when viewed from above and includes a saucer-shaped main body 60a and a flange portion 60b consisting of a rectangular frame provided at the upper end of the main body 60a and extending along the XY plane. Resin cushioning members 61 are attached to both sides of the flange portion 60b in the width direction. The plate 60 configured in this manner is detachably disposed within the heating chamber 21 by being placed on a pair of upper guide rails 28 or a pair of lower guide rails 29. The plate 60 is made of a material that is microwave-transparent, such as ceramic, glass, or resin, and can be used in all of the microwave heating mode, heater heating mode, and combined heating mode.

[0037] A pair of hanging rails 62 for attaching a container 65 is provided on the surface of the plate 60 facing the bottom wall 22. The hanging rails 62 have an L-shaped cross section and can support the container 65 in a detachable manner.

[0038] 1 and 2, container 65 is a cylindrical shape with a bottom, including a circular bottom wall portion 65a and a conical cylindrical side wall portion 65b, and is made of a material that is transparent to microwaves, such as ceramic, glass, or resin, similar to plate 60. A flange portion 65c is formed on the upper end of container 65, the flange portion 65c having an outer diameter that is supported by suspension rail 62. A circular buffer member 66 made of a flexible material (e.g., silicone rubber) is attached to the underside of flange portion 65c, preventing direct interference between suspension rail 62 and container 65.

[0039] Next, the heating process performed by the control unit 45 will be described in more detail.

[0040] The control unit 45 executes one of the functions "oven", "grill", "range", "automatic", "regishi-gri", "float-regishi" and "thaw" shown in FIG. 4 according to a pre-stored program.

[0041] "Microwave," "floating," and "thawing" are performed in microwave heating mode. Specifically, "microwave" and "thawing" are performed with the food placed on a designated plate on the bottom wall 22 of the heating chamber 21, and the food is heated by microwaves generated by the magnetron 40. "Floating" is performed with the food contained in a container 65 placed in the heating chamber 21 via the plate 60, and the food is heated by microwaves generated by the magnetron 40.

[0042] The "oven" and "grill" modes are performed in the heater heating mode. Specifically, the "oven" and "grill" modes are performed with the food placed on a plate on the bottom wall 22 or the food placed on the plate 60 in the heating chamber 21, and the food is heated by radiant heat from the heater 41.

[0043] "Regis-grilling" is performed in the combined heating mode. Specifically, "Regis-grilling" is performed with the food placed on a specified plate on the bottom wall 22, and the food is heated by microwaves from the magnetron 40 and radiant heat from the heater 41. For example, the magnetron 40 is activated to heat the food to the center by microwave heating. After a preset microwave heating time or a microwave heating time set by the user has elapsed, the operation of the magnetron 40 is stopped. Next, the heater 41 is activated to brown the surface of the food by heater heating. After a preset heater heating time or a heater heating time set by the user has elapsed, the operation of the heater 41 is stopped.

[0044] In "Automatic," one selected from the plurality of menus 57 shown in Fig. 6 is performed in a predetermined heating mode. Specifically, the plurality of menus 57 include a menu performed in microwave heating mode (e.g., "1. Warm up refrigerated rice"), a menu performed in heater heating mode (e.g., "10. Toast (inside out)"), and a menu performed in combined heating mode (e.g., "7. Deep-fried food 'Sacrégi'"). "Automatic" is performed with the food placed on a predetermined plate on the bottom wall 22, and the food is heated in one of the microwave heating mode, heater heating mode, and combined heating mode determined by the menu 57.

[0045] Next, a configuration for selecting one of a plurality of heating modes and a configuration for selecting one of a plurality of menus will be described.

[0046] 4, door 32 has three operating units 50-52 and one liquid crystal panel 54 below window 34. Operating units 50-52 and liquid crystal panel 54 are electrically connected to control unit 45, and when control unit 45 detects an operation of operating units 50-52, it changes the display on liquid crystal panel 54. In addition, a menu board 56 is attached to the outer bottom surface of microwave body 10.

[0047] The operation unit 50 is provided to select one of multiple heating modes: "Oven," "Grill," "Microwave," "Auto," "Regis-grill," "Float-grill," and "Defrost," and in this embodiment is configured as a rotary switch. LEDs 50a are located on the operation unit 50 side where each heating mode is indicated. Operation of the operation unit 50 is detected by the control unit 45, which changes which LEDs 50a are lit depending on the rotation direction and rotation angle range of the operation unit 50. The selected heating mode is indicated by the lighting of the LED 50a, and the unlit LED 50a indicates a non-selected heating mode.

[0048] The operation unit 51 is provided for setting the details of the heating mode selected by the operation unit 50 and for starting the heating mode, and is configured as a rotary push switch in this embodiment. Specifically, in heating modes other than "automatic," the heating time and input power (heating temperature) displayed on the LCD panel 54 can be changed by rotating the operation unit 51. In "automatic," the number on the numeric display unit 54a (described later) of the LCD panel 54 can be changed by rotating the operation unit 51, thereby selecting one of multiple menus 57 shown in FIG. 6. The detailed settings of the heating mode can be confirmed and the set heating mode can be executed by pushing the operation unit 51. The operation of the operation unit 51 is detected by the control unit 45, which then changes the display on the LCD panel 54, changes the heating mode setting, and starts heating in the set heating mode (menu 57 with number 58 that matches the number set on the numeric display unit 54a).

[0049] Operation unit 52 is provided to release (cancel) settings made by operating operation units 50 and 51, and is configured as a push switch in this embodiment. The operation of operation unit 52 is detected by control unit 45, which then cancels the change in heating mode setting and stops the heating mode that has been executed.

[0050] The liquid crystal panel 54 has a numeric display section 54a capable of displaying three-digit numbers. The liquid crystal panel 54 can also display letters, arrows, and the like in addition to numbers. The display on the liquid crystal panel 54 is changed by the control section 45, which detects operation of the operation sections 50 to 52. The liquid crystal panel 54 may be a segment display type or a dot matrix display type, as long as it can display numbers of two or more digits. By displaying numbers 58 on the numeric display section 54a, the corresponding menu 57 is indirectly displayed. In other words, the numeric display section 54a is a specific display area capable of selectively and individually displaying multiple menus 57. The specific display area is a display section that displays the menus 57 using the same segments or dots depending on the menu 57.

[0051] 4 to 6, menu board 56 is slidably disposed on the outer bottom surface of microwave body 10. As can be seen most clearly in FIG. 6, menu items 57 that can be heated in the "automatic" heating mode are displayed on the top surface of menu board 56. The multiple menu items 57 include "Reheat refrigerated rice," "Reheat frozen rice," "Drinks," and "Deodorizer." Next to each menu item 57 is displayed a corresponding number 58, such as "1," "2," "3," "36," and so on. The number 58 is different for each menu item 57.

[0052] The heating mode is set to "automatic" by rotating the operation unit 50, and the desired menu 57 and the corresponding number 58 are displayed in the number section 54a of the liquid crystal panel 54 by rotating the operation unit 51. When the operation unit 51 is pushed in this state, the control unit 45 detects this operation and activates the magnetron 40 or heater 41 according to a preset program to heat the food.

[0053] A two-dimensional code, QR code (registered trademark) 59, is printed on one corner of menu board 56 that is located on the rear side when attached to microwave body 10. QR code 59 is a two-dimensional code for accessing a dedicated website via a network such as the Internet using a communication device such as a mobile phone or personal computer. For example, by reading QR code 59 with a mobile phone and accessing the dedicated website via the network, it is possible to check the heating settings for menus other than the multiple menus 57 printed on menu board 56. If a menu item can be heated using the same settings as one of the multiple menus 57, a number 58 corresponding to that menu item 57 is displayed on the dedicated website. Furthermore, if the heating setting is different from any of the multiple menus 57, an appropriate heating mode other than "automatic," the heating time, input power, etc., is displayed.

[0054] Next, the configuration of the menu board 56 will be described in more detail.

[0055] 5 and 7, the menu board 56 is removably attached to guide rails 17a of a pair of pedestals 17 attached to both sides of the bottom wall 12. By pulling out the menu board 56 from the unused position shown in FIG. 3, the multiple menus 57 can be exposed from the exterior body 11 (used position). In this embodiment, the menu board 56 is configured to be removable as shown in FIG. 5, but it may also be configured to be non-removable. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the menu board 56 is attached slidably, but it may also be attached rotatably. In other words, it is sufficient that the menu board 56 is attached to the exterior body 11 so as to be movable between the used position (see FIG. 5 as an example) in which the multiple menus 57 are exposed from the exterior body 11 and the unused position (see FIG. 3) in which the multiple menus 57 are covered by the exterior body 11.

[0056] In the unused position, the menu board 56 is located below the bottom wall 12, which is the bottom of the microwave body 10. The pair of bases 17 are made of resin, and are each located outside the outer periphery 12b of the bottom wall 12 and connected to the bottom wall 12 with screws. Also, a front cover 18, which is located below the door 32, is attached to the front side of the bottom wall 12. Referring to Figures 4 and 5, the front cover 18 is made of resin and has a cutout 18a that is shaped to correspond to the shape of the menu board 56 when viewed from the front.

[0057] Referring to Figures 5 to 7, the menu board 56 comprises a board body 56a on which multiple menus 57 and numbers 58 are written, and a gripping portion 56d located below the front cover 18 when attached to the microwave body 10.

[0058] The board body 56a is a plate-like member that extends along the XY plane when attached to the microwave oven body 10. When attached, the rear portion of the board body 56a overlaps the underside of the bottom portion 12a of the bottom wall 12. Meanwhile, the front portion of the board body 56a covers the gap 31 between the outer periphery 12b of the bottom wall 12 and the front cover 18. The board body 56a has a shape that corresponds to the uneven shape of the bottom wall 12, and a notch 56b that corresponds to the raised portion 12d of the bottom wall 12 is formed on the left side in FIG. 5. Referring to FIG. 6, elastic pieces 56c that are elastically pressed against the outer surface of the bottom wall 12 are provided on both sides of the width of the menu board 56.

[0059] 5, the grip portion 56d is connected to the front end of the board body 56a and is gripped when inserting or removing the menu board 56. Specifically, the grip portion 56d includes a rising portion 56e connected to the front end of the board body 56a, a protruding portion 56f connected to the upper end of the rising portion 56e, and a hook 56g connected to the tip of the protruding portion 56f.

[0060] When attached to the microwave oven body 10, the rising portion 56e extends along the YZ plane and faces the outer periphery 12b of the bottom wall 12 at a distance to the front. The protruding portion 56f protrudes from the rising portion 56e in the opposite direction to the board body 56a, extends along the XY plane, and covers part of the gap 31. The hook piece 56g protrudes downward from the tip of the protruding portion 56f and is located flush with the front surface of the front cover 18.

[0061] The menu board 56 configured in this manner is provided with ventilation holes 56h that communicate with the interior of the arrangement section 30 of the microwave body 10 when in the non-use position shown in Figure 3 and ensure ventilation within the arrangement section 30. The ventilation holes 56h are provided at intervals in the width direction in the portion of the board body 56a that covers the gap 31 and in the protruding portion 56f of the gripping portion 56d. In other words, the menu board 56 has multiple ventilation holes 56h at the front end that protrudes forward from the outer periphery 12b of the bottom wall 12 and is located below the door 32. Each ventilation hole 56h has an oval shape that penetrates in the height direction and extends in the width direction.

[0062] 5 and 7, the exterior body 11 of the range body 10 is provided with an intake hole 68 for drawing air from outside the mounting section 30 into the interior, and an exhaust hole 69 for expelling air from inside the mounting section 30 to the outside. In addition, the electrical components of a fan 70, a power supply board 75, an inverter 78, and a magnetron 40 are arranged inside the mounting section 30 between the bottom 12a of the exterior body 11 and the cover 27 of the heating chamber 21.

[0063] A plurality of air intake holes 68 are provided in a portion (front side) of outer periphery 12b of bottom wall 12 that faces front cover 18, and in bottom portion 12a of bottom wall 12. As will be described in detail later, the front side of outer periphery 12b is a portion of mounting section 30 that is located upstream of the airflow caused by fan 70 and downstream of air vent 56h. Bottom portion 12a is a portion that is close to and faces the installation surface of microwave oven 1.

[0064] The air intake holes 68 of the outer peripheral portion 12b are oval shapes that penetrate the outer peripheral portion 12b in the front-rear direction and extend in the width direction, and are provided at intervals in both the width direction and the height direction to form a matrix. In this way, the air intake holes 68 penetrate in the front-rear direction at the front side of the exterior body 11, and the air vent 56h penetrates in the height direction further forward than the air intake holes 68. In other words, the air vent 56h of the menu board 56 and the air intake holes 68 of the bottom wall 12 penetrate in directions that intersect with each other.

[0065] The air intake holes 68 in the bottom 12a are circular and penetrate the bottom 12a in the height direction, and are arranged in a matrix pattern at intervals in the width direction and the front-to-rear direction. No air intake holes 68 are provided in the portion of the bottom 12a that corresponds to the board case 76, which will be described in detail later. As described above, because the bottom 12a is close to and faces the installation surface, the air intake holes 68 in the bottom 12a have inferior air intake capacity compared to the air intake holes 68 in the outer periphery 12b.

[0066] A plurality of exhaust holes 69 are provided in the bottom portion 12a and the outer peripheral portion 12b of the bottom wall 12 except for the portion located on the front side. Specifically, a plurality of oval exhaust holes 69 are provided in the portions located on both sides in the width direction and the portion located on the rear side of the outer peripheral portion 12b of the bottom wall 12, so as to form a matrix. A plurality of oval exhaust holes 69 are provided in the side wall 14 and rear wall 15 on the left side in FIG. 7, so as to form a matrix. No exhaust holes 69 are provided in the side wall 14 located on the right side in FIG. 7.

[0067] As shown most clearly in FIG. 7, fan 70 is disposed in the rear right corner of mounting section 30, and draws air from outside mounting section 30 into the interior and expels air from inside mounting section 30 to the outside. In this embodiment, fan 70 is a sirocco fan housed in fan case 71. Fan case 71 includes a case body 72 with an opening at the bottom and a cover 73 that closes the opening of case body 72. An air intake 73a is provided on the surface of cover 73 that faces the front power supply board 75. An air outlet 72a of fan case 71 is provided in case body 72 and opens to face the left side in FIG. 7.

[0068] The power supply board 75 is arranged inside the arrangement section 30 on the inner side of the intake hole 68 (on the front side in the front-to-rear direction) and is housed in a board case 76. The board case 76 is trough-shaped, and the air vent 76a opens rearward so as to face the fan case 71.

[0069] The inverter 78 is disposed adjacent to the left side of the fan 70 within the arrangement section 30 and is housed in an inverter case 79. The inverter case 79 includes a case body 80 with an opening at the bottom, and a cover 81 that closes the opening of the case body 80. The case body 80 is trough-shaped, with an intake port 80a at one end facing the outlet 72a of the fan case 71 and an outlet 80b at the other end opening to the left of the arrangement section 30 in FIG. 7 so as to face the front.

[0070] The magnetron 40 is disposed in front of the air outlet 80b of the inverter case 79. In FIG. 7, the magnetron 40 is located on the left side and in the center in the front-to-rear direction, and to the right of the magnetron 40, a duct 40a is disposed, and this duct 40a extends to the center in the width direction.

[0071] The interior of the arrangement section 30 configured as described above is partitioned by the circuit board case 76, the fan case 71, and the inverter case 79. Therefore, when the fan 70 is operated, air from outside the range body 10 flows into the arrangement section 30 mainly through the vent hole 56h and the air intake hole 68 in the outer peripheral portion 12b of the bottom wall 12, because the intake hole 68 in the bottom portion 12a of the bottom wall 12 has poor intake capacity. Inside the arrangement section 30, air flows through the circuit board case 76 to the right in FIG. 7 and is drawn into the fan 70 in the fan case 71 through the intake port 73a. The air discharged by the fan 70 travels from the fan case 71 through the inverter case 79 to the magnetron 40 and is discharged into the arrangement section 30 from the left side in FIG. 7. The air is then exhausted from the interior of the arrangement section 30 to the outside through the exhaust holes 69 in the bottom wall 12, the left side wall 14, and the rear wall 15.

[0072] As described above, the fan 70 draws air into the mounting section 30 mainly from the lower front side of the range body 10, where it flows to the right in Fig. 7, and is then drawn in by the fan 70 and discharged to the left. In other words, the fan 70 generates a clockwise airflow in Fig. 7 within the mounting section 30, and the power supply board 75, inverter 78, and magnetron 40 are arranged in this order from the intake hole 68. This ensures good ventilation within the mounting section 30, and ensures forced cooling of the electrical components arranged inside.

[0073] The microwave oven 1 configured in this manner has the following features.

[0074] Menu board 56 is attached to exterior body 11 so as to be movable between a use position in which multiple menus 57 and corresponding numbers 58 are exposed from exterior body 11 and a non-use position in which multiple menus 57 and corresponding numbers 58 are covered by exterior body 11. A predetermined automatic heating process can be executed by operating operation unit 51 to match the numbers displayed on numeric display unit 54a of LCD panel 54 with the desired menu 57 and corresponding numbers 58. This improves the usability of microwave oven 1 for the user while preventing impairment of the design of microwave oven 1 compared to when multiple menus 57 and numbers 58 are all printed on the surface of exterior body 11. Exterior body 11 is provided with air intake hole 68 for drawing air outside arrangement section 30 into the interior, and menu board 56 is provided with air vent 56h that communicates with arrangement section 30 between heating chamber 21 and exterior body 11 when in the non-use position, thereby improving the cooling of electrical components placed in arrangement section 30. Therefore, malfunction of microwave oven 1 (controller 45) caused by an excessive rise in temperature inside placement section 30 can be prevented.

[0075] The menu board 56 is disposed on the bottom side of the exterior body 11, and the ventilation hole 56h is disposed at the end of the menu board 56 facing the door 32. In other words, the ventilation hole 56h is provided in a part of the menu board 56 where there is no component that would obstruct ventilation under normal usage conditions. This ensures ventilation between the inside and outside of the placement section 30.

[0076] A fan 70 is provided that draws in air through intake holes 68 provided downstream of ventilation holes 56h and expels it through exhaust holes 69. This ensures forced air cooling of the electrical components in arrangement section 30 between heating chamber 21 and exterior body 11, more specifically, power supply board 75, inverter 78, and magnetron 40.

[0077] Ventilation hole 56h and intake hole 68 penetrate in directions that intersect with each other, thereby preventing failure (short circuit) of electrical components caused by a thin, linear object entering arrangement section 30 from the outside of exterior body 11 through ventilation hole 56h and intake hole 68.

[0078] Menu board 56 displays QR code 59 for referencing heating settings for menus other than the multiple menus 57. This allows a user to read QR code 59 using a communication device such as a mobile phone or personal computer and refer to a dedicated website, which may enable cooking of food at optimal settings even for menus not displayed on menu board 56. This improves user convenience.

[0079] The present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible.

[0080] For example, the menu board 56 may be slidably disposed on the inner surface (upper surface) of the bottom wall 12, or may be slidably disposed on the top wall 13 or side wall 14 of the exterior body 11.

[0081] Alphabet characters (English letters) may be displayed next to the menus 57 on the menu board 56 instead of numbers (numeric characters) 58, and an English letter display section may be provided on the liquid crystal panel 54 instead of the numeric display section 54a. Also, the menu board 56 may display only the menus 57 without displaying alphanumeric characters, and menus corresponding to specific display areas on the liquid crystal panel 54 may be selectively and individually displayed in text.

[0082] The operation unit 51 and the liquid crystal panel 54 may be provided on the front wall 16 of the exterior body 11 .

[0083] The output portion 40c of the magnetron 40 may be provided on the rear wall 25 or on one of the pair of side walls 24, as long as it is between the bottom wall 22 of the heating chamber 21 and the upper guide rail 28.

[0084] Microwave oven 1 may not be provided with heater 41 and may be capable of operating only in the microwave heating mode. [Explanation of symbols]

[0085] 1 microwave 10 Microwave body 11 Exterior body 12 Bottom wall 12a bottom 12b Outer periphery 12c Flange 12d ridge 13 Ceiling wall 14 Side wall 15 Back wall 16 Front wall 17 Pedestal 17a Guide rail 18 Front cover 18a Notch 21 Heating chamber 22 Bottom wall 23 Ceiling wall 24 Side wall 25 Back wall 26 Aperture 27 Cover 28 Upper guide rail 29 Lower guide rail 30 Placement section 31 Cavity 32 Doors 33 Frame 34 Windows 35 Reflective layer 40 Magnetron 40a duct 40b antenna 40c output section 41 Heater 42 Infrared sensor 43 Thermistor 43a Detector 45 Control Unit 50 Control section 50a LED 51 Operation section 52 Operation section 54 LCD panel (display) 54a Number display section (display area) 56 Menu Board 56a board body 56b Notch 56c Elastic piece 56d Grip 56e Standing part 56f Protrusion 56g hook piece 56h Ventilation hole 57 Menu 58 Number 59 QR Code (two-dimensional code) 60 plates 60a body 60b flange 61 Cushioning material 62 Hanging rail 65 Container 65a Bottom wall 65b Side wall part 65c flange 66 Cushioning material 68 Air intake 69 Exhaust vent 70 fans 71 Fan case 72 Case body 72a Air outlet 73 Cover 73a Air intake 75 Power supply board 76 Circuit board case 76a Ventilation hole 78 Inverter 79 Inverter case 80 Case body 80a Intake port 80b Air outlet 81 Cover

Claims

1. An exterior body; a heating chamber provided in the exterior body for heating food by microwaves; an arrangement portion formed between the exterior body and the heating chamber, in which an electric component is arranged; a menu board on which a predetermined number of menus are displayed, the menu board being attached to the exterior body so as to be movable between a use position in which the plurality of menus are exposed from the exterior body and a non-use position in which the plurality of menus are covered by the exterior body; a display unit capable of selectively displaying the plurality of menus; an operation unit that is capable of changing the menu displayed on the display unit and that is used to select one of the plurality of menus; Equipped with the exterior body is provided with an air intake hole for drawing air outside the placement section into the interior, The microwave oven, wherein the menu board is provided with a vent hole that communicates with the intake hole when the microwave oven is in the non-use position.

2. a door attached to the exterior body so as to be openable and closable, and configured to close an opening of the heating chamber; The menu board is disposed on the bottom side of the exterior body, The air vent is disposed at the end of the menu board on the door side.

2. The microwave oven according to claim 1.

3. the electrical component includes a fan for drawing air outside the placement unit into the interior and discharging air inside the placement unit to the exterior; an exhaust hole for discharging air from the arrangement section to the outside is provided on a downstream side of the airflow generated by the fan in the arrangement section; The electrical components include a power supply board, an inverter, and a microwave source, which are arranged in this order from the intake hole to the exhaust hole.

3. The microwave oven according to claim 1 or 2.

4. 3. The microwave oven according to claim 1, wherein the vent hole and the intake hole extend in directions intersecting each other.

5. 3. The microwave oven according to claim 1, wherein the menu board displays a two-dimensional code for referring to heating settings for menus other than the plurality of menus.

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