Cooking apparatus

Abstract

This cooking apparatus comprises: a housing forming a cooking chamber; a turntable arranged inside the cooking chamber and on which an object to be cooked is placed; a motor provided to rotate the turntable; a heating source provided to heat the object being cooked that is placed on the turntable and arranged inside the cooking chamber; rollers that can move along the turntable rotated by the motor, on a roller track surface formed on an inner surface of the housing and on which the turntable is supported; a lever that protrudes from the roller track surface toward the cooking chamber, is provided to be pressed by the rollers, and is provided to be operable by the rollers by being pressed by the rollers when the object being cooked is placed on the turntable; and a sensor that senses that the lever has been pressed and operated by the rollers, and generates signals on the basis of the operation of the lever. The operation of the heating source and the motor is controlled on the basis of the signals.

Description

Cooking appliances

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a cooking appliance with improved usability stability.

[0002] A cooking appliance is a device that heats and cooks food or other objects, and can provide various functions related to cooking, such as heating, defrosting, drying, and sterilizing the object. Examples of such cooking appliances include ovens such as gas ovens or electric ovens, microwave heating devices (hereinafter referred to as microwave ovens), gas ranges, electric ranges, microwave ovens that are combined with hoods (Over The Range, OTR), gas grills, or electric grills.

[0003] A microwave oven is a device that cooks food by using frictional heat generated by disrupting the arrangement of water molecules in food through electromagnetic waves, while an oven is a device that cooks food by directly transferring heat to food through a heat source such as a heater or by heating the inside of the cooking chamber.

[0004] A turntable is placed within the cooking chamber. Food can be placed on the turntable for cooking, and the turntable is positioned rotatable within the cooking chamber to evenly heat the entire surface of the food. The turntable is connected to a rotation motor positioned on the outer bottom of the cooking chamber by a coupler, and a roller is positioned at the bottom of the turntable to support the turntable so that it can rotate within the cooking chamber.

[0005] One aspect of the present disclosure provides a cooking appliance with improved usability.

[0006] One aspect of the present disclosure provides a cooking device capable of checking whether a turntable is rotating.

[0007] One aspect of the present disclosure provides a cooking appliance capable of controlling a heating source and a motor depending on whether a turntable is rotated.

[0008] One aspect of the present disclosure provides a cooking appliance that is arranged to display information to a user according to whether a turntable is rotating.

[0009] One aspect of the present disclosure provides a cooking appliance capable of determining whether food is placed on a turntable.

[0010] One aspect of the present disclosure provides a cooking appliance capable of controlling a heating source and a motor depending on whether food is placed on a turntable.

[0011] One aspect of the present disclosure provides a cooking appliance that is configured to display information to a user regarding whether food is placed on a turntable.

[0012] The technical problems to be achieved in this document are not limited to the technical problems mentioned above, and other technical problems not mentioned can be clearly understood by a person having ordinary skill in the technical field to which the present invention belongs from the description below.

[0013] A cooking appliance according to the invention comprises: a housing forming a cooking chamber; a turntable disposed inside the cooking chamber and on which a cooking object is placed; a motor configured to rotate the turntable; a heating source configured to heat the cooking object placed on the turntable and disposed inside the cooking chamber; a roller configured to support the turntable and move along the turntable rotated by the motor on a roller track surface formed on an inner surface of the housing; a lever protruding from the roller track surface toward the cooking chamber and configured to be pressurized by the roller and operable when a cooking object is placed on the turntable; and a sensor configured to sense that the lever is pressed by the roller and operates, and to generate a signal based on the operation of the lever. Operations of the heating source and the motor are configured to be controlled based on the signal.

[0014] A cooking appliance according to the invention comprises a housing forming a cooking chamber. The cooking appliance comprises a heating source configured to heat the interior of the cooking chamber. The cooking appliance comprises a turntable connected to a motor and rotatably disposed within the cooking chamber, on which a cooking object is placed. The cooking appliance comprises a roller supporting the turntable and movable along the rotation of the turntable on an inner surface of the housing. The cooking appliance comprises a lever including a protrusion disposed so as to protrude toward the cooking chamber on an inner surface of the housing so as to be pressed by the roller. The lever is configured to be operable by the pressure of the roller based on whether a cooking object is placed on the turntable. The cooking appliance comprises a sensor configured to sense the operation of the lever when the lever is operated and generate an input signal. The cooking appliance comprises a processor electrically connected to the sensor to receive the input signal. The processor is configured to control the operation of the heating source and the motor based on the input signal.

[0015] FIG. 1 is a drawing illustrating a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0016] FIG. 2 is a drawing showing the top cover and bottom cover of a cooking appliance in an exploded view according to one embodiment.

[0017] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a cooking appliance according to one embodiment, showing only the housing, turntable assembly, signal generator, and bottom cover separated.

[0018] Figure 4 is a drawing showing Figure 3 from a different angle.

[0019] Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating a signal generation unit according to one embodiment.

[0020] FIG. 6 is a drawing showing a part of a cross-section taken along line a-a', showing the housing, turntable assembly, signal generator and bottom cover of FIG. 3 joined together.

[0021] Figure 7 is a drawing showing an enlarged view of area A of Figure 6.

[0022] FIG. 8 is a drawing showing a state in which the lever does not rotate even if the roller presses the protrusion when there is no food on the turntable in FIG. 7.

[0023] FIG. 9 is a drawing showing a case where a food is placed on the turntable in FIG. 7, and the roller presses the protrusion and rotates the lever to operate the sensor.

[0024] FIG. 10 is a drawing showing a part of a cross-section taken along b-b', showing the housing, turntable assembly, signal generator and bottom cover of FIG. 3 joined together.

[0025] Figure 11 is a drawing showing the roller in Figure 10 moving past the inclined surface of the through hole cover to the support surface.

[0026] Fig. 12 is a control block diagram for explaining a process of controlling a heating source, a motor, and a display unit of a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0027] FIG. 13 is a flowchart of a method for controlling a heating source and a motor according to whether or not an input signal of a processor is received in a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0028] Fig. 14 is a flowchart of a method for controlling a display unit according to whether or not an input signal is received by a processor in a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0029] FIG. 15 is a flowchart of a method for a processor to control a display unit based on the number of display times in a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0030] FIG. 16 is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling a heating source and a motor when a processor receives an input signal in a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0031] FIG. 17 is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling a display unit when a processor receives an input signal in a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0032] FIG. 18 is a flowchart of a method for a processor to control a display unit based on the number of displays in a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0033] The embodiments described in this specification and the configurations illustrated in the drawings are merely preferred examples of the disclosed invention, and there may be various modified examples that can replace the embodiments and drawings of this specification at the time of filing of this application.

[0034] Additionally, the same reference numbers or symbols presented in each drawing of this specification represent parts or components that perform substantially the same function.

[0035] In addition, the terminology used in this specification is used to describe embodiments and is not intended to limit and / or restrict the disclosed invention. The singular expression includes plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this specification, the terms "comprises" or "has" and the like are intended to specify the presence of a feature, number, step, operation, component, part, or combination thereof described in the specification, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0036] Additionally, terms including ordinal numbers such as “first,” “second,” etc. used herein may be used to describe various components, but the components are not limited by the terms, and the terms are used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another. For example, without departing from the scope of the present invention, the first component may be referred to as the second component, and similarly, the second component may also be referred to as the first component. The term “and / or” includes any combination of a plurality of related listed items or any item among a plurality of related listed items.

[0037] Meanwhile, the shape and position of each component are not limited by the terms such as “front,” “back,” “left,” “right,” “upper,” and “lower” used in the description below.

[0038] When a component is said to be “connected,” “coupled,” “supported,” or “in contact with” another component, this includes not only cases where the components are directly connected, coupled, supported, or in contact, but also cases where the components are indirectly connected, coupled, supported, or in contact through a third component.

[0039] When we say that a component is “on” another component, this includes not only cases where the component is in contact with the other component, but also cases where there is another component between the two components.

[0040] When referring to the direction of rotation, clockwise may be referred to as the first direction, and counterclockwise, the direction opposite to the first direction, may be referred to as the second direction. While these expressions may be commonly used to describe specific details for implementing the invention, the rotational direction of the components of the present invention is not limited by these terms.

[0041] Hereinafter, cooking appliances according to various embodiments will be specifically described with reference to the attached drawings.

[0042] Fig. 1 is a drawing illustrating a cooking appliance according to one embodiment. Fig. 2 is a drawing illustrating an exploded view of the top cover and bottom cover of the cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0043] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a cooking appliance (1) may include a main body (10) forming an outer shape. The main body (10) may include a front panel (11), a rear panel (12), and a top panel (15). In addition, the main body (10) may include a top cover (14) covering the upper side (+Z direction) of the main body (10) and a bottom cover (16) covering the lower side (-Z direction).

[0044] The top cover (14) may be positioned between the front panel (11) and the rear panel (12). The top cover (14) may be positioned to cover the upper portion of the main body (10). The top cover (14) may include a side cover (14a) and an upper cover (14b). The side cover (14a) and the upper cover (14b) may be formed integrally. The side cover (14a) and the upper cover (14b) may also be provided as separate components.

[0045] The bottom cover (16) can be placed between the front panel (11) and the rear panel (12). The bottom cover (16) can be placed to cover the lower part of the main body (10).

[0046] A cooking appliance (1) may include a housing (20) forming a cooking chamber (24). The cooking chamber (24) may be formed inside the housing (20). The housing (20) may be provided inside the main body (10). The housing (20) may have a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape with the front (+X direction), rear (-X direction) and upper sides open.

[0047] A battlefield (30) can be formed between the partition wall (22a, 22b) and the top cover (14).

[0048] The cooking appliance (1) may include a heating source (31) for heating the inside of the cooking chamber (24) and for cooking the food (D). For example, the heating source (31) may include a magnetron (32) for generating high frequency to be supplied to the inside of the cooking chamber (24), a high voltage transformer (33) for applying high voltage to the magnetron (32), and a high voltage condenser (34). The magnetron (32), the high voltage transformer (33), and the high voltage condenser (34) may be located in the electrical compartment (30). The cooking appliance (1) may include a cooling fan (35) for cooling the internal structure of the electrical compartment (30). The cooling fan (35) may be located in the electrical compartment (30).

[0049] A cooking appliance (1) may include a turntable (40) disposed inside a cooking chamber (24) on which a cooking object (D) is placed. The turntable (40) may be connected to a motor (70, see FIG. 3) and may be arranged to rotate inside the cooking chamber (24). The turntable (40) may be disposed to be supported on an inner support surface (21, see FIG. 3). The cooking object (D) may be placed on the turntable (40) and cooked inside the cooking chamber (24).

[0050] The cooking appliance (1) may include a waveguide provided to guide high frequency waves radiated from the magnetron (32) into the interior of the cooking chamber (24).

[0051] The cooking device (1) can cook the cooking object (D) by radiating high frequency into the interior of the cooking chamber (24) while the cooking object (D) is placed on the turntable (40). When the cooking device (1) radiates high frequency into the interior of the cooking chamber (24), the molecular arrangement of moisture contained in the cooking object (D) accommodated in the turntable (40) is repeatedly converted, thereby cooking the cooking object (D) by frictional heat between the molecules generated. When the cooking object (D) is cooked, the turntable (40) rotates by the motor (70), so that the cooking object (D) can be cooked by heating it in multiple directions.

[0052] For example, the heating source (31) may include a heater for heating the interior of the cooking chamber (24).

[0053] The cooking appliance (1) may include a door (18) coupled to the front panel (11) of the main body (10) to open and close the cooking chamber (24). The door (18) may be rotatably coupled to the main body (10) to close the cooking chamber (24). The door (18) may be configured to include a transparent or translucent material so that at least a portion thereof allows the interior of the cooking chamber (24) to be visible.

[0054] The cooking appliance (1) may include a control panel (50) including an input unit (51) for receiving user input and / or a display unit (52) for displaying information. The control panel (50) may be coupled to a front panel (11) of the main body (10). The control panel (50) may be disposed on one side of the door (18). The control panel (50) may be located at an end of the front panel (11) opposite to an end where a hinge (17) for rotatably supporting the door (18) is located. The control panel (50) may be a configuration included in the main body (10).

[0055] The display unit (52) may be provided to display the status of the cooking appliance (1) to the user when the cooking appliance (1) is stopped / operated. For example, when the cooking appliance (1) is in operation and the cooking object (D) is being cooked, the display unit (52) may be provided to display the time required until cooking is completed.

[0056] The cooking appliance (1) may include an open button (53) mounted on the control panel (50). The cooking appliance (1) may be configured to open the door (18) by operating the open button (53) when the door (18) is in a position to close the cooking chamber (24).

[0057] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a cooking appliance according to one embodiment, showing only the housing, turntable assembly, signal generator, and bottom cover separated. FIG. 4 is a view showing FIG. 3 from a different angle.

[0058] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the housing (20) may include an inner support surface (21) provided to support and secure a cooking object (D) and form one side of a cooking chamber (24). The inner support surface (21) may be defined as an inner side (21) of the housing. On the opposite side of the inner side (21) of the housing, an outer side (26) of the housing may be formed so as to face downward (-Z direction).

[0059] A center hole (25) may be formed on one side of the inner surface of the housing (20). The center hole (25) may be formed to penetrate one side of the inner surface (21) of the housing.

[0060] The housing (20) may include partition walls (22a, 22b) formed to protrude upward from both ends in the left-right direction (+-Y direction) of the inner support surface (21). The cooking chamber (24) may be formed in a space surrounded by the inner support surface (21) and partition walls (22a, 22b) of the housing (20).

[0061] The cooking appliance (1) may include a turntable assembly (40, 60, 70, 80). The turntable (40, 60, 70, 80) assembly may include a turntable (40), a motor (70), a coupler (80), and a roller portion (60).

[0062] The turntable (40) may include a structure having a roughly disc shape. The turntable (40) may be supported on an inner surface (21) of the housing. The turntable (40) may include a turntable upper surface (41) on which a cooking object (D) is placed, and a turntable lower surface (42) formed on the opposite side of the turntable upper surface (41). The turntable upper surface (41) may be placed in the housing (20) so as to face the cooking chamber (24). The turntable lower surface (42) may be placed so as to face the inner surface (21) of the housing.

[0063] The turntable lower surface (42) may include a coupler connection portion (44). The coupler connection portion (44) may include a plurality of coupler connection portions (44) arranged radially from each other based on the center of the turntable (40). The coupler connection portion (44) may be formed to protrude downward (in the -Z direction) from the turntable lower surface (42).

[0064] The turntable lower surface (42) may include a roller support guide portion (43, described later). The roller support guide portion (43) may include a plurality of roller support guide portions (43) arranged radially from each other with respect to the center of the turntable (40). The roller support guide portion (43) may be formed to protrude downward (in the -Z direction) from the turntable lower surface (42).

[0065] The coupler (80) can be coupled with the coupler connection portion (44) of the turntable (40) to support the turntable (40). The coupler connection portion (44) can be inserted into the center hole (25) and positioned to extend from the cooking chamber (24) toward the outer lower portion (16c, see FIG. 6) of the housing (20).

[0066] The coupler (80) can be coupled with the motor (70). The motor (70) can be disposed on the outer lower part (16c) of the housing (20). The motor (70) can include a motor body (71) forming an exterior. The motor (70) can include a motor rotation shaft (72) formed to protrude from the motor body (71). The motor rotation shaft (72) can be inserted into the coupler (80) and coupled with the coupler (80). When the motor (70) operates, the motor rotation shaft (72) can rotate to rotate the coupler (80). When the coupler (80) rotates, the turntable (40) coupled with the coupler (80) can rotate inside the cooking chamber (24).

[0067] The roller unit (60) may be arranged on one inner surface (21) of the housing. The roller unit (60) may include a plurality of rollers (61a, 61b, 61c) that are arranged to move on one inner surface (21) of the housing, and a roller support (62) that supports the plurality of rollers (61a, 61b, 61c) by connecting them to each other. The roller support (62) may be guided by a plurality of roller support guide parts (43) and positioned on the lower surface (42) of the turntable (40).

[0068] A roller track surface (23) formed to allow a roller (61) to pass may be formed on an inner surface (21) of the housing. The roller track surface (23) may be formed in a substantially circular shape on the inner surface (21) of the housing. The roller track surface (23) may include a substantially circular shape centered on a center hole (25). The center hole (25) may be formed to protrude downward (-Z direction) from the inner surface (21) of the housing. A plurality of rollers (61a, 61b, 61c) may move while rotating along the roller track surface (23).

[0069] The inner surface (21) of the housing may include a through hole (28) formed on the roller track surface (23). That is, the through hole (28) may be formed on the roller track surface (23). The through hole (28) may be formed to penetrate the roller track surface (23) so as to communicate the cooking chamber (24) with the outer lower portion (16c) (16c) of the housing (20). A plurality of rollers (61a, 61b, 61c) may pass over the through hole (28) while moving on the roller track surface (23). The diameter of the through hole (28) may be provided to be smaller than the diameter of the roller (61). Therefore, the roller (61) may pass over the upper portion of the through hole (28) without falling into the through hole (28).

[0070] The turntable (40) can be supported by a roller (61) and placed so as to be in contact with the roller (61). Accordingly, when the turntable (40) rotates, the roller (61) in contact with the turntable (40) can move along with the rotation of the turntable (40).

[0071] The roller (61) can move while pressing the inner surface (21) of the housing. The magnitude of the force (F2) with which one roller (61) presses the inner surface (21) of the housing when there is no cooking object (D) on the turntable (40) may be a value obtained by multiplying the value obtained by adding the weight of the turntable (40), the weight of the roller support (62), and the weight of the number of rollers (61) by the number of rollers (61) and multiplying the value by the acceleration of gravity (approximately 9.8 m / s²).

[0072] For example, since the number of rollers (61) in the city is shown as three, the magnitude of the force (F2) applied by one roller (61) to press the inner surface (21) of the roller (61) housing when there is no cooking object (D) on the turntable (40) can be calculated as follows.

[0073] [Mathematical Formula 1]

[0074] F2(N)≒{(Weight of turntable (40) (kg) + Weight of roller support (62) (kg) + Weight of roller (61) (kg) × 3)÷3} × 9.8 (m / s²)

[0075] Since the number of rollers (61) is three, this is only an example, and the force (F2) applied by one roller (61) to press the inner surface of the housing (20) can be calculated in various ways depending on the number of rollers (61).

[0076] The cooking appliance (1) may include a signal generating unit (100). The signal generating unit (100) may be arranged on the outer lower part (16c) of the housing (20). The signal generating unit (100) may be arranged to generate an input signal (or may be referred to as a signal) by being pressed by a roller (61). A description of the signal generating unit (100) will be provided below. The above-described motor (70) and signal generating unit (100) may be arranged between one outer surface of the housing (20) and the bottom cover (16).

[0077] Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating a signal generation unit according to one embodiment.

[0078] Referring to FIG. 5, the signal generating unit (100) may include a lever (130) that is provided to be operable, and a sensor (120) that senses the operation of the lever (130). The signal generating unit (100) may include a coupling member (110) that is coupled to the lever body (130) and the sensor (120) to support the sensor (120) and the lever body (130).

[0079] The coupling member (110) may include a first coupling member (111) coupled to the outer lower part (16c) of the housing, and a second coupling member (112) coupled to the first coupling member (111) and formed to extend downward.

[0080] The first coupling member (111) can be coupled with the outer lower surface (27) of the housing to support the second coupling member (1112). A lever (130) and a sensor (120) can be coupled to the second coupling member (112). The lever (130) and the sensor (120) are coupled to the second coupling member (112) supported by the first coupling member (111), and are ultimately positioned at the outer lower portion (16c) of the housing and supported by the outer lower surface (27) of the housing.

[0081] The lever (130) may include a lever body (131) that forms an outer shape. The lever (130) may be arranged to rotate about a rotation axis (R) positioned on the lever (130). That is, the operation of the lever (130) may include a rotational operation that rotates about the rotation axis (R).

[0082] The lever (130) may include a rotating portion (134) on which a rotation axis (R) is positioned. The rotating portion (134) may be formed at one end of the lever (130). The rotating portion (134) may be coupled to a second coupling member (112) to support the lever (130).

[0083] The sensor (120) may be configured to sense the operation of the lever (130) and generate an input signal when the lever (130) is operated. The sensor (120) may include various types of sensors that detect operation, such as a switch or a light sensor (120). Hereinafter, the sensor (120) will be illustrated and described as an example that includes a sensor body (121) and a sensor button (122).

[0084] The lever (130) may include a protrusion (132) formed to protrude upward (in the +Z direction) from the upper surface of the lever body (131). In other words, the protrusion (132) may be formed on the upper surface of the lever body (131) facing the cooking chamber (24).

[0085] The lever (130) may include a pressurizing portion (135) that pressurizes the sensor (120). The pressurizing portion (135) may be formed at the other end of the lever body (131). The pressurizing portion (135) may be formed on the lower surface of the lever body (131) in the opposite direction (-Z direction) toward the cooking chamber (24).

[0086] The sensor (120) may include a sensor body (121) forming an outer shape and a sensor button (122) formed to protrude from the sensor body (121). The sensor (120) may include a button support member (123). The button support member (123) may be coupled to the sensor body (121) and may be arranged to support the sensor button (122) to the sensor body (121). The button support member (123) may be provided to have elasticity.

[0087] When the sensor button (122) is pressed, the button support member (123) may contract based on the magnitude of the force acting on the sensor button (122), so that the sensor button (122) may move. For example, when the magnitude of the force acting on the sensor button (122) is smaller than the elastic force of the button support member (123), the button support member (123) may not contract, so that the sensor button (122) may not move. Conversely, when the magnitude of the force acting on the sensor button (122) is larger than the elastic force of the button support member (123), the button support member (123) may contract, so that the sensor button (122) may move.

[0088] The contraction of the button support member (123) and the movement of the sensor button (122) can be defined as the operation of the sensor (120). When the sensor (120) is operated, an input signal can be generated from the sensor (120).

[0089] FIG. 6 is a drawing showing a part of a cross-section taken along line a-a' of the housing, the turntable assembly, the signal generator, and the bottom cover of FIG. 3, which are combined together. FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of area A of FIG. 6. FIG. 8 is a drawing showing a state in which the lever does not rotate even if the roller presses the protrusion when there is no food on the turntable in FIG. 7. FIG. 9 is a drawing showing a state in which the roller presses the protrusion and rotates the lever to operate the sensor when there is food on the turntable in FIG. 7.

[0090] Referring to FIGS. 6 to 9, the lever (130) may be arranged to protrude toward the cooking chamber (24) on the roller track surface (23) and be pressed by the roller (61). More specifically, the protrusion (132) of the lever (130) may be arranged to protrude toward the cooking chamber (24) on the roller track surface (23) and be pressed by the roller (61). The protrusion (132) may be arranged to protrude toward the cooking chamber (24) through the through hole (28).

[0091] The roller (61) can move on the roller track surface (23) and pass over the upper side of the through hole (28). When the roller (61) passes over the upper side of the through hole (28), it can press the protrusion (132) of the lever (130) that passes through the through hole (28) and protrudes into the cooking chamber (24). When the roller (61) presses the protrusion (132), the lever (130) can be pressed.

[0092] Based on whether the cooking object (D) is placed on the turntable (40), the lever (130) may be provided to be operable by the pressure of the roller (61). The operation of the lever (130) may include a rotational operation based on the rotation axis. Hereinafter, the operation of the lever (130) pressed by the roller (61) will be described by dividing it into the case where the cooking object (D) is not placed on the turntable (40) and the case where the cooking object (D) is placed.

[0093] When the cooking object (D) is not placed on the turntable (40), the lever (130) may not rotate even if the roller (61) presses the protrusion (132). In other words, when the cooking object (D) is not placed on the turntable (40), the torque value (F2*X1) applied to the lever (130) by the force of the roller (61) pressing the protrusion (132) may be arranged to be in equilibrium with the torque value (F1*X2) applied to the lever (130) by the force of the sensor button (122) to the pressing portion (135). This can be expressed by the following equation.

[0094] [Equation 2]

[0095] F2×X1=F1×X2

[0096] F1: Force applied by the sensor button (122) to the pressing portion (135) by the button support member (123), F2: Force applied by one roller (61) to the protrusion (132) when there is no food on the turntable (40), X1: Distance from the rotation axis (R) to the protrusion (132), X2: Distance from the rotation axis (R) to the pressing portion (135)

[0097] That is, if the cooking object (D) is not placed on the turntable (40), even if the roller (61) passes over the roller track surface (23) and presses the protrusion (132), the lever (130) may not operate. The operation of the lever (130) may include a rotational operation. Since the lever (130) does not rotate, the sensor button (122) does not move, and thus, an input signal may not be generated from the sensor (120).

[0098] When the cooking object (D) is placed on the turntable (40), the lever (130) can rotate when the roller (61) presses the protrusion (132). In other words, when the cooking object (D) is placed on the turntable (40), the torque value (F3*X1) applied to the lever (130) by the force with which the roller (61) presses the protrusion (132) can be set to be greater than the torque value (F4*X2) applied to the lever (130) by the force applied to the pressing portion (135) by the sensor button (122). This can be expressed by the following equation.

[0099] [Equation 3]

[0100] F3×X1>F4×X2

[0101] F3: When the food is placed on the turntable (40), the force applied by one roller (61) to the protrusion (132), F4: the force applied by the sensor button (122) to the pressing portion (135) by the button support member (123), X1: the distance from the rotation axis (R) to the protrusion (132), X2: the distance from the rotation axis (R) to the pressing portion (135)

[0102] That is, when the cooking object (D) is placed on the turntable (40), the roller (61) passes over the roller track surface (23) and presses the protrusion (132) to operate the lever (130). The operation of the lever (130) may include a rotational operation. When the lever (130) rotates, the pressurizing portion (135) may press the sensor button (122) to contract the button support member (123). In this case, the sensor button (122) may move to operate the sensor (120). When the sensor (120) operates, the sensor (120) may generate an input signal.

[0103] The protrusion (132) can be positioned between the rotating portion (134) and the pressing portion (135). Through this, when the lever (130) rotates with respect to the rotating axis (R) located at the rotating portion (134), the distance by which the protrusion (132) moves under pressure can be made smaller than the distance by which the pressing portion (135) moves.

[0104] When the protrusion (132) is pressed and the lever (130) rotates, the pressing portion (135) can move a distance longer than the distance that the protrusion (132) moves, thereby moving the sensor button (122). Through this, the lever (130) can effectively pressurize and move the sensor button (122). In addition, even if the protrusion (132) is pressed and moves a smaller distance, the distance that the pressing portion (135) moves can be secured, thereby reducing the degree to which the protrusion (132) protrudes. Through this, when the roller (61) passes over the protrusion (132), the clearance between the roller track surface (23) and the protrusion (132) can be reduced, thereby allowing the roller (61) to move more stably.

[0105] The sensor (120) may be disposed spaced apart from the through hole (28). More specifically, the sensor (120) may be disposed spaced apart from the through hole (28) in the radial direction of the turntable (40). When a cooking object (D) is placed on the turntable (40), a portion of the cooking object (D) may be slightly detached from the turntable (40) by the rotation of the turntable (40) and may spill onto the inner surface (21) of the housing. In this case, the cooking object (D) may pass through the through hole (28) and flow to the outer lower portion (16c) of the housing (20), but since the sensor (120) is disposed spaced apart from the through hole (28), damage caused by the spilled cooking object (D) can be prevented.

[0106] Fig. 10 is a drawing showing a part of a cross-section taken along line b-b' of the housing, turntable assembly, signal generator, and bottom cover of Fig. 3, which are connected to each other. Fig. 11 is a drawing showing the roller in Fig. 10 moving past the inclined surface of the through-hole cover to the support surface.

[0107] Referring to FIGS. 10 and 11, the lever (130) may include a through-hole cover (140). The through-hole cover (140) may be arranged to engage with the protrusion (132). The through-hole cover (140) may engage with the protrusion (132) to cover the protrusion (132) from the upper side.

[0108] The through-hole cover (140) can be inserted into the through-hole (28). When the through-hole cover (140) is inserted into the through-hole (28), it can be provided to cover the through-hole (28). The through-hole cover (140) can be positioned so as to be in close contact with one surface inside the housing (20). Since the through-hole cover (140) is positioned so as to be in close contact with one surface inside the housing (20), it is possible to block the cooking object (D) from flowing through the through-hole (28).

[0109] The through-hole cover (140) may include an elastic material. Therefore, when the through-hole cover (140) covers the through-hole (28), it can be more effectively brought into close contact with one side of the inside of the housing (20).

[0110] When the roller (61) moves on the roller track surface (23), the roller (61) can press the through-hole cover (140) and exit the through-hole (28). When the roller (61) presses the through-hole cover (140), the through-hole cover (140) can press the protrusion (132).

[0111] The through hole cover (140) may include a support surface (141) provided to support the roller (61). The support surface (141) may be arranged to protrude from the inner surface (21) of the housing toward the cooking chamber (24). When the roller (61) moves on the roller track surface (23) and passes through the through hole (28), the roller (61) may be supported by the support surface (141) and move.

[0112] When the cooking object (D) is placed on the turntable (40), the roller (61) presses the through hole (28) cover to press the protrusion (132), so that the lever (130) can rotate. When the lever (130) rotates, the support surface (141) can be sunk along with the movement of the protrusion (132).

[0113] The through hole cover (140) may include an inclined surface (142) provided to guide the roller (61) from the roller track surface (23) to the support surface (141). The inclined surface (142) may extend from the roller track surface (23) toward the support surface (141).

[0114] Since the support surface (141) is arranged to protrude from the roller track surface (23) toward the cooking chamber (24), a step can be formed between the support surface (141) and the roller track surface (23). Since the inclined surface (142) extends from the roller track surface (23) toward the support surface (141), the roller (61) can smoothly move over the through-hole cover (140).

[0115] The inclined surface (142) may be formed to be curved toward the cooking chamber (24). Since the inclined surface (142) is formed to be curved toward the cooking chamber (24), the roller (61) can move more smoothly from the roller track surface (23) to the support surface (141) despite the step. This can reduce noise generated by the step when the roller (61) moves.

[0116] Fig. 12 is a control block diagram for explaining a process of controlling a heating source, a motor, and a display unit of a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0117] Referring to FIG. 12, the cooking appliance (1) may include a processor (91). The processor (91) may be arranged to be electrically connected to a sensor (120), a motor (70), a heating source (31), and a display unit (52). The processor (91) may be arranged to receive an input signal generated from the sensor (120).

[0118] The processor (91) may be arranged to control the operation of the motor (70), heating source (31), and display unit (52) based on the received input signal.

[0119] The cooking appliance (1) may include a memory (92) electrically connected to a processor (91). The memory (92) may store data for information, algorithms, or programs reproducing the algorithms for controlling the sensor (120), motor (70), heating source (31), and display unit (52).

[0120] The memory (92) and the processor (91) may be implemented as separate chips. Alternatively, the memory (92) and the processor (91) may be implemented as a single chip.

[0121] FIG. 13 is a flowchart of a method for controlling a heating source and a motor according to whether or not an input signal of a processor is received in a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0122] Referring to FIG. 13, the processor (91) may be configured to count time. In other words, the processor (91) may count the time at which an input signal is received, or count the time elapsed without an input signal being received.

[0123] There may be various situations in which the processor (91) does not receive an input signal. For example, when the processor (91) does not receive an input signal, this may include a state in which the turntable (40) does not rotate. The state in which the turntable (40) does not rotate may be a state in which the motor (70) does not operate, a state in which the turntable (40) and the coupler (80) are not coupled, a state in which the coupler (80) and the motor (70) are not coupled, and so on. In addition, when the processor (91) does not receive an input signal, this may be a case in which the cooking object (D) is not placed on the turntable (40). The above cases are all merely examples of cases in which the processor (91) does not receive an input signal, and the situations in which the processor (91) does not receive an input signal are not limited to the above examples and may be variously provided.

[0124] The processor (91) can determine the progress time. The progress time may mean the time that has passed without the processor (91) receiving an input signal.

[0125] When the heating source (31) and the motor (70) are in operation, the processor (91) can reset the progress time to 0 (1010). Thereafter, when the heating source (31) and the motor (70) are in operation, the processor (91) can determine the progress time by counting the time elapsed without receiving the input signal using an algorithm stored in the memory (92) if the input signal is not received (1020).

[0126] Afterwards, when the processor (91) receives an input signal (1030), the processor (91) can reset the determined progress time back to 0 and repeat the above-described process (1020).

[0127] When the processor (91) does not receive an input signal, the processor (91) can compare the determined progress time with a pre-stored progress time value (1040).

[0128] The progress time value may be stored in advance in a memory (92) electrically connected to the processor (91).

[0129] If the determined progress time is less than the progress time value stored in advance in the memory (92), the processor (91) may not control the operation of the heating source (31) and the motor (70). That is, the processor (91) may continue to count the time that passes without receiving an input signal.

[0130] If the determined progress time is greater than or equal to the progress time value pre-stored in the memory (92), the processor (91) can control the heating source (31) and the motor (70) to stop the operation of the heating source (31) and the motor (70) (1050). As described above, cases where the processor (91) does not receive an input signal may include cases where the turntable (40) does not rotate or the turntable (40) rotates but the food is not placed. Therefore, if the processor (91) controls the heating source (31) and the motor (70) to stop the operation of the heating source (31) and the motor (70), the usability of the cooking appliance (1) can be improved.

[0131] Fig. 14 is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling a display unit according to whether or not an input signal is received by a processor in a cooking appliance according to one embodiment. Below, descriptions of content that overlaps with the above content are omitted.

[0132] Referring to FIG. 14, the processor (91) may be configured to count time. In other words, the processor (91) may count the time at which an input signal is received, or count the time elapsed without an input signal being received.

[0133] The processor (91) can determine the progress time. The progress time may mean the time that has passed without the processor (91) receiving an input signal.

[0134] When the heating source (31) and motor (70) are operating, the processor (91) can reset the progress time to 0 (2010).

[0135] Thereafter, when the heating source (31) and the motor (70) are operating, the processor (91) can determine the progress time by counting the time that passes without receiving the input signal by an algorithm stored in the memory (92) if the input signal is not received (2020).

[0136] Afterwards, when the processor (91) receives an input signal (2030), the processor (91) can reset the determined progress time back to 0 and repeat the above-described process (2020).

[0137] When the processor (91) does not receive an input signal, the processor (91) can compare the determined progress time with a pre-stored progress time value (1040).

[0138] The progress time value may be stored in advance in a memory (92) electrically connected to the processor (91).

[0139] If the determined progress time is less than the progress time value pre-stored in the memory (92), the processor (91) may not control the display unit (52). That is, the processor (91) may continue to count the time that passes without receiving an input signal.

[0140] If the determined progress time is greater than or equal to the progress time value pre-stored in the memory (92), the processor (91) can control the display unit (52) to display a pre-stored error message (2050). As described above, cases where the processor (91) does not receive an input signal may include cases where the turntable (40) does not rotate or the turntable (40) rotates but the food is not placed. Therefore, if the processor (91) controls the display unit (52) to display an error message on the display unit (52), the user can intuitively know that a problem has occurred in the operation of the cooking appliance (1) and respond accordingly, thereby effectively managing the cooking appliance (1) and improving the usability of the cooking appliance (1).

[0141] Figure 15 is a flowchart illustrating a method for a processor to control a display unit based on the number of display cycles in a cooking appliance according to one embodiment. Descriptions of content that overlaps with the above will be omitted below.

[0142] Referring to FIG. 15, the processor (91) can determine the number of times an error message is displayed on the display unit (52) as the display count by an algorithm stored in the memory (92) (3010).

[0143] Thereafter, the processor (91) can compare the number of displays with the number of displays pre-stored in the memory (92), and if the number of displays is smaller than the number of displays pre-stored in the memory (92), the processor (91) may not control the display unit (52).

[0144] If the number of displays is greater than or equal to the number of displays pre-stored in the memory (92), the processor (91) can control the display unit (52) to display the service call phrase pre-stored in the memory (92) (3020).

[0145] If the number of times an error message is displayed exceeds the preset number of times, the cooking appliance (1) may be defective. Therefore, the user can request repair of the cooking appliance (1) at a repair center or the like by viewing the displayed service call message, thereby increasing the efficiency of cooking appliance (1) management and enhancing the stability of use.

[0146] FIG. 16 is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling a heating source and a motor when a processor receives an input signal in a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0147] Referring to FIG. 16, the processor (91) may be configured to count time. In other words, the processor (91) may count the time at which an input signal is received, or count the time elapsed without an input signal being received.

[0148] As previously described, when the turntable (40) rotates and the roller (61) operates the sensor (120), an input signal may be generated from the sensor (120). The processor (91) may be arranged to receive the input signal of the sensor (120).

[0149] The processor (91) can determine an input signal received from the sensor (120) as a first input signal by an algorithm stored in the memory (92) (4010). Based on the determined first input signal, the processor (91) can determine a first input time, which is the time at which the first input signal is determined (4020).

[0150] The processor (91) can determine the input signal first received from the sensor (120) after the first input signal is received as the second input signal by an algorithm stored in the memory (92) (4030). Based on the determined second input signal, the processor (91) can determine the second input time, which is the time at which the second input signal is determined (4040).

[0151] The processor (91) can determine the required time, which is the time taken from the first input time to the second input time, based on the first input time and the second input time (4050). In other words, the required time can correspond to the time taken from when the roller (61) presses the lever (130) until the next roller (61) presses the lever (130).

[0152] The processor (91) can compare the required time with the required time value stored in advance in the memory (92) (4060).

[0153] If the required time is less than the pre-stored required time value, the processor (91) may not control the operation of the heating source (31) and the motor (70).

[0154] If the required time is greater than the required time value pre-stored in the memory (92), the processor (91) can control the heating source (31) and the motor (70) to stop the operation of the heating source (31) and the motor (70) (4070).

[0155] As described above, the time required for the roller (61) to press the lever (130) and for the next roller (61) to press the lever (130) may correspond to the required time. If the required time is greater than the pre-stored required time value, it may mean that the roller (61) takes longer than the intended time to rotate along the roller track surface (23). This may mean that the turntable (40) rotates more slowly than intended, which may cause a problem in the stability of the cooking appliance (1). Therefore, the processor (91) may control the heating source (31) and the motor (70) to stop the operation of the heating source (31) and the motor (70) when the required time is greater than the required time value, thereby further improving the stability of the cooking appliance (1).

[0156] Figure 17 is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling a display unit when a processor receives an input signal in a cooking appliance according to one embodiment. Descriptions of content that overlaps with the above are omitted.

[0157] Referring to FIG. 17, the processor (91) can determine an input signal received from a sensor (120) as a first input signal by an algorithm stored in the memory (92) (5010). Based on the determined first input signal, the processor (91) can determine a first input time, which is the time at which the first input signal is determined (5020).

[0158] The processor (91) can determine the input signal first received from the sensor (120) after the first input signal is received as the second input signal by an algorithm stored in the memory (92) (5030). Based on the determined second input signal, the processor (91) can determine the second input time, which is the time at which the second input signal is determined (5040).

[0159] The processor (91) can determine the required time, which is the time taken from the first input time to the second input time, based on the first input time and the second input time (5050). In other words, the required time can correspond to the time taken from when the roller (61) presses the lever (130) until the next roller (61) presses the lever (130).

[0160] The processor (91) can compare the required time with the required time value stored in advance in the memory (92) (5060).

[0161] If the determined time required is less than the time required value pre-stored in the memory (92), the processor (91) may not control the display unit (52).

[0162] If the determined required time is greater than or equal to the required time value pre-stored in the memory (92), the processor (91) can control the display unit (52) to display a pre-stored error message (5070). As described above, if the required time is greater than or equal to the required time value, this may include a case where the turntable (40) rotates slower than the intended speed. Therefore, if the processor (91) controls the display unit (52) to display an error message on the display unit (52), the user can intuitively recognize that a problem has occurred in the operation of the cooking appliance (1) and respond accordingly, thereby effectively managing the cooking appliance (1) and improving the usability of the cooking appliance (1).

[0163] FIG. 18 is a flowchart of a method for a processor to control a display unit based on the number of displays in a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0164] Referring to FIG. 18, the processor (91) can determine the number of times an error message is displayed on the display unit (52) as the display count by an algorithm stored in the memory (92) (6010).

[0165] Thereafter, the processor (91) can compare the number of displays with the number of displays pre-stored in the memory (92), and if the number of displays is smaller than the number of displays pre-stored in the memory (92), the processor (91) may not control the display unit (52).

[0166] If the number of times displayed is greater than or equal to the number of times pre-stored in the memory (92), the processor (91) can control the display unit (52) to display the service call phrase pre-stored in the memory (92) (6020). If the number of times the error phrase is greater than or equal to the number of times pre-stored, the cooking appliance (1) may be defective. Accordingly, the user can request repair of the cooking appliance (1) at a repair center, etc. by looking at the displayed service call phrase, thereby increasing the efficiency of cooking appliance (1) management and further improving the safety in use.

[0167] A cooking appliance (1) according to one embodiment includes a housing (20) forming a cooking chamber (24). The cooking appliance (1) is disposed inside the cooking chamber (245) and includes a turntable (40) on which an object to be cooked is placed. The cooking appliance (1) includes a motor (70) provided to rotate the turntable (40). The cooking appliance (1) includes a heating source (31) provided to heat an object to be cooked placed inside the cooking chamber (24) by being placed on the turntable (40). The cooking appliance (1) includes a roller (61) that supports the turntable (40) and is movable along the turntable (40) that is rotated by the motor (70) on a roller track surface (23) formed on an inner surface (21) of the housing. The cooking device (1) includes a lever (130) that protrudes from the roller track surface (23) toward the cooking chamber (24) and is provided to be pressurized by the roller (61) and to be operable when a cooking object (D) is placed on the turntable (40). The cooking device (1) includes a sensor (120) that senses that the lever (130) is pressed by the roller (61) and operates, and generates a signal based on the operation of the lever (130). The operation of the heating source (31) and the motor (70) is provided to be controlled based on the signal.

[0168] The lever (130) may include a rotating part (134) that is arranged to rotate about a rotation axis (R) of the lever (130). The lever (130) may include a pressing part (135) that is arranged to pressurize the sensor (120) based on the rotation of the rotating part (134). The lever (130) may include a protrusion (132) that is arranged between the rotation axis (R) and the pressing part (135), protrudes toward the cooking chamber (24) on the roller track surface (23), and is arranged to be pressed by the roller (61). The sensor (120) may be arranged to generate a signal by being pressed by a rotational motion of the lever (130) that rotates about the rotation axis (R).

[0169] The above lever (130) may further include a lever body (131) that is arranged to rotate based on the rotation axis (R). The protrusion (132) may protrude from the upper surface of the lever body (131) facing the cooking chamber (24). The pressure portion (135) may be formed on the lower surface of the lever body (131).

[0170] The above lever (130) may be arranged so that it does not operate even when pressed by the roller (61) when the roller (61) passes over the lever (130) without the cooking object being placed on the turntable (40).

[0171] The inner surface (21) of the housing may include a through hole (28) formed on the roller track surface (23). The protrusion (132) may be arranged to protrude toward the cooking chamber (24) through the through hole (28).

[0172] The above sensor (120) can be placed radially apart from the through hole (28) of the turntable (40).

[0173] The lever (130) may further include a through-hole cover (140) that is coupled with the protrusion (132) and inserted into the through-hole (28) to cover the through-hole (28). The through-hole cover (140) may be provided so that the through-hole cover (140) is pressed by the roller (61) to press the protrusion (132).

[0174] The through-hole cover (140) may include a support surface (141) provided to support the roller (61) when the roller (61) passes through the through-hole cover (140). The through-hole cover (140) may include an inclined surface (142) formed to extend from the roller track surface (23) toward the support surface (141) and curve toward the cooking chamber (24) to guide the roller (61) from the roller track surface (23) to the support surface (141).

[0175] The above cooking appliance (1) may further include a processor (91) configured to receive the signal. The processor (91) may be configured to control the operation of the heating source (31) and the motor (70) based on the signal.

[0176] The processor (91) may be configured to count time. The processor (91) may determine the elapsed time without the signal being received (1020). If the elapsed time is greater than a pre-stored elapsed time value (1040), the processor (91) may control the heating source (31) and the motor (70) to stop operation of the heating source (31) and the motor (70) (1050).

[0177] The above cooking appliance (1) may further include a display unit (52) connected to the processor (91). The processor (91) may control the display unit (52) to display a pre-stored error message when the progress time is greater than or equal to a pre-stored progress time value (2040) (2050).

[0178] The processor (91) can determine the number of times the error message is displayed on the display unit (52) (3010). The processor (91) can control the display unit (52) to display the pre-stored service call message when the number of times the message is displayed is greater than or equal to a pre-stored number of times (3020).

[0179] The processor (91) may be configured to count time. When the processor (91) receives a signal, the processor (91) may determine a first input signal based on the signal (4010). The processor (91) may determine a first input time, which is a time at which the first input signal is determined, based on the first input signal (4020). The processor (91) may determine a second input signal, based on a signal received for the first time after receiving the first input signal (4030). The processor (91) may determine a second input time, which is a time at which the second input signal is determined, based on the second input signal (4040). The processor (91) may determine a time required from the first input time to the second input time based on the first input time and the second input time (4050). The above processor (91) can stop the operation of the heating source (31) and the motor (70) (4060) when the required time is greater than the pre-stored required time value (4050).

[0180] The above cooking appliance (1) may further include a display unit (52) connected to the processor (91). The processor (91) may control the display unit (52) to display a pre-stored error message when the required time is greater than a pre-stored required time value (5060) (5070).

[0181] The processor (91) can determine the number of times the error message is displayed on the display unit (52) (6010). The processor (91) can control the display unit (52) to display a pre-stored service call message when the number of times the message is displayed is greater than or equal to a pre-stored number of times (6020).

[0182] A cooking appliance (1) according to one embodiment includes a housing (20) forming a cooking chamber (24). The cooking appliance (1) includes a heating source (31) arranged to heat the inside of the cooking chamber (24). The cooking appliance (1) includes a turntable (40) connected to a motor (70) and rotatably arranged inside the cooking chamber (24), on which a cooking object (D) is placed. The cooking appliance (1) includes a roller (61) that supports the turntable (40) and is movable along the rotation of the turntable (40) on an inner surface (21) of the housing. The cooking appliance (1) includes a lever (130) including a protrusion (132) that is arranged to protrude toward the cooking chamber (24) on an inner surface (21) of the housing so as to be pressed by the roller (61). The lever (130) is provided to be operable by the pressure of the roller (61) based on whether the cooking object (D) is placed on the turntable (40). The cooking device (1) includes a sensor (120) that is provided to sense the operation of the lever (130) and generate an input signal when the lever (130) is operated. The cooking device (1) includes a processor (91) that is electrically connected to the sensor (120) to receive the input signal. The processor (91) is provided to control the operation of the heating source (31) and the motor (70) based on the input signal.

[0183] The inner surface (21) of the housing may include a roller track surface (23) through which the roller (61) passes and a through hole (28) formed on the roller track surface (23). The protrusion (132) may be arranged to protrude toward the cooking chamber (24) through the through hole (28).

[0184] The operation of the lever (130) may include a rotational operation that rotates based on a rotational axis (R) located on the lever (130). The sensor (120) may be provided to be pressed by the rotational operation of the lever (130) to generate an input signal. The lever (130) may further include a rotational portion (134) on which the rotational axis (R) of the lever (130) is located and a pressing portion (135) that presses the sensor (120). The protrusion (132) may be arranged between the rotational portion (134) and the pressing portion (135).

[0185] The above cooking appliance (1) may further include a display unit (52) electrically connected to the processor (91). The processor (91) may be arranged to count time. When the input signal is not received, the processor (91) may determine the elapsed time without receiving the input signal (1020). When the elapsed time is greater than a pre-stored elapsed time value (1040), the processor (91) may control the heating source (31) and the motor (70) to stop the operation of the heating source (31) and the motor (70) (1050), and may control the display unit (52) to display a pre-stored error message (2050).

[0186] The above cooking appliance (1) may further include a display unit (52) electrically connected to the processor (91). The processor (91) may be arranged to count time. When the processor (91) receives the input signal, the processor (91) may determine a first input signal based on the input signal (4010). The processor (91) may determine a first input time, which is a time at which the first input signal is determined, based on the first input signal (4020). The processor (91) may determine a second input signal, which is a first input signal received after receiving the first input signal (4030). The processor (91) may determine a second input time, which is a time at which the second input signal is determined, based on the second input signal (4040). The processor (91) may determine a time required from the first input time to the second input time, based on the first input time and the second input time (4050). The processor (91) can control the heating source (31) and the motor (70) to stop operation of the heating source (31) and the motor (70) when the required time is greater than the pre-stored required time value (4060), and can control the display unit (52) to display a pre-stored error message (5070).

[0187] According to the idea of ​​the present disclosure, when the turntable does not rotate and the roller does not press the lever to rotate, the sensor does not generate an input signal, so the operation of the heating source and motor is controlled to stop, thereby improving safety in use.

[0188] According to the idea of ​​the present disclosure, when the turntable does not rotate and the roller does not press the lever to rotate, the sensor does not generate an input signal, so the display unit is controlled to display a message, allowing the user to know whether the turntable is rotating, thereby improving safety during use.

[0189] According to the idea of ​​the present disclosure, when there is no food placed on the turntable and the turntable rotates, but the roller does not press the lever to rotate, the sensor does not generate an input signal, so the operation of the heating source and motor is controlled to stop, thereby improving the safety of use.

[0190] According to the idea of ​​the present disclosure, when there is no food placed on the turntable and the turntable rotates, but the roller does not press the lever to rotate, the sensor does not generate an input signal, so the display unit is controlled to display a message, so that the user can know whether the food is placed on the turntable, thereby improving the safety of use.

[0191] The effects that can be obtained from the present disclosure are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects that are not mentioned can be clearly understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure belongs from the description below.

[0192] The above illustrates and describes specific embodiments. However, the invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that various modifications and implementations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the claims below.

Claims

1. Housing forming a kitchen; A turntable placed inside the above cooking chamber and on which food to be cooked is placed; A motor configured to rotate the above turntable; A heating source positioned on the turntable and arranged to heat a cooking object placed inside the cooking chamber; A roller that is supported by the turntable and can move along the turntable while rotating by the motor on a roller track surface formed on an inner surface of the housing; A lever that protrudes from the roller track surface toward the cooking chamber, is provided to be pressurized by the roller, and is provided to be operable by being pressed by the roller when a cooking object is placed on the turntable; and A sensor configured to sense that the lever is operated by being pressed by the roller and to generate a signal based on the operation of the lever; A cooking appliance wherein the operation of the heating source and the motor is controlled based on the signal.

2. In paragraph 1, The above lever, A rotating part provided to rotate based on the rotation axis of the above lever, A pressurizing unit configured to pressurize the sensor based on the rotation of the rotating unit; and A protrusion is disposed between the rotation shaft and the pressurizing portion, protrudes toward the cooking chamber on the roller track surface, and is provided to be pressurized by the roller. A cooking appliance in which the sensor is configured to generate a signal by being pressurized by the rotational motion of the lever that rotates around the rotational axis.

3. In paragraph 2, The above lever further includes a lever body configured to rotate about the rotation axis, The above protrusion protrudes from the upper surface of the lever body facing the cooking chamber, A cooking appliance in which the pressurizing portion is formed on the lower surface of the lever body.

4. In paragraph 1, A cooking appliance in which the lever is arranged so that the lever does not operate even when pressed by the roller when the roller passes over the lever without the food to be cooked being placed on the turntable.

5. In paragraph 2, The inner surface of the above housing includes a through hole formed on the roller track surface, A cooking appliance in which the above protrusion is positioned to protrude through the through hole toward the cooking chamber.

6. In paragraph 5, A cooking appliance in which the above sensor is positioned radially apart from the through hole of the turntable.

7. In paragraph 5, The above lever further includes a through hole cover which is coupled with the above protrusion and inserted into the through hole to cover the through hole, A cooking appliance in which the above through-hole cover is provided so that the through-hole cover is pressed by a roller to press the protrusion.

8. In paragraph 7, The above through hole cover is, A support surface provided to support the roller when the roller passes through the through hole cover; A cooking appliance including an inclined surface extending from the roller track surface toward the support surface and curved toward the cooking chamber to guide the roller from the roller track surface to the support surface.

9. In paragraph 1, A processor configured to receive the signal; further comprising: A cooking appliance wherein the processor is arranged to control the operation of the heating source and the motor based on the signal.

10. In paragraph 9, The above processor is arranged to count time, The above processor, Determine the elapsed time without receiving the above signal, A cooking appliance that controls the heating source and the motor so that the operation of the heating source and the motor is stopped when the above-mentioned progress time is greater than a pre-stored progress time value.

11. In paragraph 10, Further comprising a display unit connected to the above processor; A cooking appliance in which the processor controls the display unit to display a pre-stored error message when the progress time is greater than a pre-stored progress time value.

12. In paragraph 11, The above processor, The above error message determines the number of times it is displayed on the display unit, A cooking appliance that controls the display unit so that the display unit displays a pre-stored service call phrase when the number of times the display is displayed is greater than or equal to a pre-stored number of times.

13. In paragraph 9, The above processor is arranged to count time, When the above processor receives a signal, Based on the above signal, the first input signal is determined, Determine the first input time, which is the time at which the first input signal is determined, After receiving the first input signal, the second input signal is determined based on the first signal received, Determine the second input time, which is the time at which the second input signal is determined, Determine the time required from the first input time to the second input time, A cooking appliance that stops the operation of the heating source and the motor when the above-mentioned time is longer than the pre-stored time value.

14. In paragraph 13, Further comprising a display unit connected to the above processor; The above processor, A cooking appliance that controls the display unit so that the display unit displays a pre-stored error message when the above-mentioned required time is greater than the pre-stored required time value.

15. In paragraph 14, The above processor, The above error message determines the number of times it is displayed on the display unit, A cooking appliance that controls the display unit so that the display unit displays a pre-stored service call phrase when the number of times the display is displayed is greater than or equal to a pre-stored number of times.

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