Cooking appliance and control method of same

Abstract

A cooking appliance of the present disclosure comprises: a main body; a cooking chamber inside the main body; a door that opens and closes the cooking chamber and includes a door duct having a discharge hole through which air inside the door is discharged to the outside of the door; and a control unit that opens the discharge hole so that the air inside the door is discharged to the outside of the door on the basis of an internal temperature of the cooking chamber being equal to or higher than a preset temperature, and closes the discharge hole so that the air inside the door is prevented from being discharged to the outside of the door on the basis of the internal temperature of the cooking chamber being lower than the preset temperature.

Description

Cooking appliance and control method of cooking appliance

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a cooking appliance and a method for controlling the cooking appliance.

[0002] Generally, a cooking appliance is a device that cooks food by being equipped with a cooking chamber, a heating device that applies heat to the cooking chamber, and a circulation fan that circulates the heat generated by the heating device within the cooking chamber.

[0003] Cooking appliances are devices that cook food by sealing and heating it, and they can generally be classified into electric, gas, and electronic types based on their heat source. Electric ovens utilize electric heaters as a heat source, while gas ovens and microwave ovens utilize heat generated by gas and frictional heat from water molecules caused by high frequency, respectively.

[0004] Generally, a cooking appliance comprises a main body that forms the exterior and has an open front, forming a cooking chamber into which food to be cooked is placed, and a door installed on the front of the main body to selectively open and close the cooking chamber.

[0005] The door is composed of multiple glass panels to prevent heat from inside the cooking chamber from being released to the outside. Since the door's temperature rises due to the heat inside the cooking chamber, an air intake is provided in the door to draw in outside air in order to prevent the door's temperature from rising. The air drawn in through the air intake circulates through an air passage provided between the multiple glass panels to lower the temperature of the air, and then is discharged to the outside of the door.

[0006] Generally, to lower the surface temperature of the outside of the door, high-temperature air inside the door is expelled to the outside of the door by a cooling structure utilizing the Venturi effect, or high-temperature air inside the door is forcibly sucked in and expelled to the outside of the door by a cooling fan.

[0007] The present disclosure provides a cooking appliance and a method for controlling the cooking appliance, which can open and close a discharge hole of a door duct that discharges high-temperature air inside the door to the outside of the door according to the temperature of the cooking chamber.

[0008] The technical problems to be solved in this document are not limited to those mentioned above, and other unmentioned technical problems will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art to which this invention belongs from the description below.

[0009] A cooking device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include: a main body; a cooking chamber inside the main body; a door including a door duct having a discharge hole through which the internal air of the door is discharged to the outside of the door and which opens and closes the cooking chamber; and a control unit that opens the discharge hole to discharge the internal air of the door to the outside of the door based on the internal temperature of the cooking chamber being above a preset temperature, and closes the discharge hole to prevent the internal air of the door from being discharged to the outside of the door based on the internal temperature of the cooking chamber being below the preset temperature.

[0010] A control method for a cooking appliance according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include: a main body, a cooking chamber inside the main body, a door including a door duct having a discharge hole for opening and closing the cooking chamber and for discharging internal air of the door to the outside of the door, and a control unit, wherein the control unit detects the temperature inside the cooking chamber; opens the discharge hole to discharge internal air of the door to the outside of the door based on the fact that the temperature inside the cooking chamber is above a preset temperature; and closes the discharge hole to prevent internal air of the door from being discharged to the outside of the door based on the fact that the temperature inside the cooking chamber is below the preset temperature.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cooking device according to one embodiment.

[0012] FIG. 2 illustrates a state in which the door of a cooking appliance according to one embodiment is open.

[0013] FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view of a cooking device according to one embodiment.

[0014] FIG. 4 illustrates a door locking device of a cooking appliance according to one embodiment. FIG. 5 illustrates high-temperature air inside the door being discharged to the outside of the door through the intake and exhaust passages of a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0015] FIG. 6 illustrates the door unlocked state of a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0016] FIG. 7 illustrates a state in which the discharge hole is closed by an opening and closing device of a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0017] FIG. 8 illustrates a state in which high-temperature air inside the door is prevented from being discharged to the outside of the cooking appliance when the discharge hole is closed by the opening and closing device of the cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0018] FIG. 9 illustrates the door locking state of a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0019] FIG. 10 illustrates a state in which a discharge hole is opened by an opening and closing device of a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0020] FIG. 11 illustrates the flow of air in which high-temperature air inside the door is discharged to the outside of the cooking appliance when the discharge hole is opened by the opening and closing device of the cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0021] FIG. 12 is a control block diagram of a cooking device according to one embodiment.

[0022] FIG. 13 illustrates an example of a flowchart of a control method for a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0023] FIG. 14 illustrates an example of a flowchart of a method for opening and closing a discharge hole of a door duct based on the temperature of the cooking chamber during a cleaning process of a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0024] FIG. 15 illustrates the change in internal temperature when the discharge hole of the door duct is opened or closed in a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0025] FIG. 16 illustrates an example of a flowchart of a method for opening and closing a discharge hole of a door duct based on the temperature of the cooking chamber during a cooking process of a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0026] FIG. 17 illustrates an example of a flowchart of a method for controlling the speed of a cooling fan based on the temperature of a printed circuit board during the operation of a cooking device according to one embodiment.

[0027] The various embodiments of this document and the terms used therein are not intended to limit the technical features described in this document to specific embodiments, and should be understood to include various modifications, equivalents, or substitutions of said embodiments.

[0028] In relation to the description of the drawings, similar reference numerals may be used for similar or related components.

[0029] The singular form of the noun corresponding to the item may include one or multiple items, unless the relevant context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0030] In this document, each of the phrases such as "A or B", "at least one of A and B", "at least one of A or B", "A, B or C", "at least one of A, B and C", and "at least one of A, B, or C" may include any one of the items listed together in the corresponding phrase, or all possible combinations thereof.

[0031] The term "and / or" includes a combination of multiple related described components or any of the multiple related described components.

[0032] Terms such as "first," "second," or "first" or "second" may be used simply to distinguish a component from another component and do not limit the components in other aspects (e.g., importance or order).

[0033] Where any (e.g., 1st) component is referred to as "coupled" or "connected" to another (e.g., 2nd) component, with or without the terms "functionally" or "communicationly," it means that said any component may be connected to said other component directly (e.g., via a wire), wirelessly, or through a third component.

[0034] Terms such as "include" or "have" are intended to specify the existence of the features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in this document, and do not preclude the existence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0035] When it is said that a component is "connected," "combined," "supported," or "in contact" with another component, this includes not only cases where the components are directly connected, combined, supported, or in contact, but also cases where they are indirectly connected, combined, supported, or in contact through a third component.

[0036] When it is said that a component is located "on" another component, this includes not only cases where one component is in contact with the other, but also cases where another component exists between the two components.

[0037] Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0038] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cooking appliance according to one embodiment, FIG. 2 shows the state in which the door of the cooking appliance according to one embodiment is open, and FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view of the cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0039] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, the cooking device (1) may include a main body (10) forming an exterior, a cooking chamber (20) provided inside the main body (10) so as to be open at the front, and a door (30) provided at the front of the main body (10) to open and close the cooking chamber (20).

[0040] The main body (10) may include a front panel (11) forming the front of the main body (10), a side panel (13) forming the side of the main body (10), a rear panel (15) forming the rear of the main body (10), and a top panel (16) forming the top of the main body (10).

[0041] A power supply room cover (17) covering the front of the power supply room (50) may be provided on the upper front of the front panel (11). A user interface device (40) may be mounted on the power supply room cover (17).

[0042] The front panel (11) may be provided with an intake hole (12) for sucking in high-temperature air discharged from inside the door (30). The configuration for providing the intake hole (12) in the front panel (11) will be described in detail below.

[0043] An intake port (14) may be provided in the side panel (13) so that air can be drawn into the electrical chamber (50). External air drawn into the electrical chamber (50) through the intake port (14) flows inside the electrical chamber (50) and can cool the electrical components.

[0044] The cooking chamber (20) is provided to have a box shape with an open front inside the main body (10), and allows food to be fed into the cooking chamber (20) through the open front of the cooking chamber (20).

[0045] Multiple supports may be provided on both side walls inside the cooking room (20), and racks on which food can be placed may be installed on the multiple supports.

[0046] A divider capable of dividing the cooking chamber (20) into multiple parts can be detachably mounted on a plurality of supports. The cooking chambers (20) divided into multiple parts by the divider do not have to be of the same size and may differ in size from each other, and the divider can be made of an insulating material to insulate each cooking chamber (20). Through this, the space divided into multiple parts of the cooking chamber (20) can be utilized in various ways according to the user's intention.

[0047] A heater (21) for heating food may be provided in the cooking chamber (20). The heater (21) may be an electric heater including an electric resistor. The heater (21) is not limited to an electric heater and may be a gas heater that generates heat by burning gas. Accordingly, the cooking appliance (1) may include an electric oven and a gas oven.

[0048] A circulation fan (25) may be provided at the rear of the cooking chamber (20) to circulate air in the cooking chamber (20) so that the food is heated evenly.

[0049] A fan cover (27) covering the circulation fan (25) may be provided on the front of the circulation fan (25), and a through hole (29) may be formed in the fan cover (27) so that air can flow through it.

[0050] The open front of the cooking chamber (20) can be opened and closed by a door (30). The door (30) may be hinged to the lower part of the main body (10) so as to be rotatable relative to the main body (10). A door handle (31) that a user can grasp may be provided on the upper front of the door (30). The user can open and close the cooking chamber (20) by grasping the door handle (31). A door duct (33) may be provided on the upper part of the door (30). The door duct (33) may include a discharge hole (35) that discharges high-temperature air inside the door (30) to the outside of the door (30). The door duct (33) may include a locking part (37) that allows the door (30) to be locked and unlocked. The discharge hole (35) and the locking part (37) will be described in detail below. An air inlet (39) for sucking outside air into the door (30) may be provided at the bottom of the door (30).

[0051] A user interface device (40) that displays various operation information of a cooking appliance (1) and allows a user to input operation commands can be mounted on an electrical compartment cover (17) provided on the upper front of a front panel (11). For example, the user interface device (40) may include at least one input device (41) and a display (42).

[0052] In one embodiment, at least one input device (41) may include a power button.

[0053] The power button may be a button for turning on or off the power of the cooking appliance (1) or various components of the cooking appliance (1).

[0054] For example, the power button may be a button for turning on and / or turning off the display (42).

[0055] Examples of at least one input device (41) are not limited to this, and any configuration capable of converting sensory information received from a user into an electrical signal may be adopted as at least one input device (41).

[0056] If the display (42) is implemented as a touch display, the display (42) may also be an example of at least one input device.

[0057] The display (42) may include, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel, an indicator, and a light-emitting diode (LED) panel.

[0058] In one embodiment, the display (42) may be implemented as a touch pad, touch screen, etc., to receive user input.

[0059] The display (42) can display various screens for the user and the cooking appliance (1) to interact.

[0060] The cooking device (1) may be provided with an electrical room (50) that accommodates electrical components including a user interface device (40). The electrical room (50) may be provided above the cooking room (20). The electrical room (50) may be provided with a printed circuit board (PCB) on which circuit components are mounted, or a printed board assembly (PBA) including a printed circuit board (PCB).

[0061] An insulating material (not shown) may be provided between the electrical room (50) and the cooking room (20) to prevent heat from the cooking room (20) from being transferred to the electrical room (50). The insulating material may be provided to cover not only the space between the electrical room (50) and the cooking room (20), but also the entire outside of the cooking room (20) so that heat from the cooking room (20) is not transferred to the outside of the cooking device (1).

[0062] Since the temperature inside the electrical chamber (50) can rise due to the heat from various electrical components, the cooking device (1) may be provided with a cooling structure that cools the electrical chamber (50) by circulating air around the electrical chamber (50).

[0063] The cooling structure of the cooking device (1) may include a cooling fan (51) that circulates air and an exhaust passage (80, 85) that discharges the air sucked in by the cooling fan (51) to the front of the main body (10).

[0064] External air of the cooking device (1) is sucked into the electrical chamber (50) through the intake part (14) formed in the side panel (13), and the air sucked into the electrical chamber (50) flows inside the electrical chamber (50) and cools the electrical components, after which it is guided by the discharge path (80, 85) and discharged to the front of the cooking device (1).

[0065] The electrical room (50) may be provided with a door lock (60) capable of locking and unlocking the door (30).

[0066] FIG. 4 illustrates a door locking device of a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0067] Referring to FIG. 4, the door lock (60) is a device to prevent the door (30) from accidentally opening when the cooking appliance (1) is operating at a high temperature, thereby preventing burns or accidents. It is necessary for safety during operations where the internal temperature is very high, such as cleaning operations.

[0068] For example, the door lock (60) may include a door lock switch (61) rotatably provided on the door lock (60) and a door lock motor (62) that rotates the door lock switch (61).

[0069] The door lock switch (61) can be locked and unlocked by the lock (37) provided in the door duct (33).

[0070] The rotational force of the door lock motor (62) is transmitted to the door lock switch (61) through a cam or gear mechanism. The door lock switch (61) may be shaped like a ring and may be configured to engage with the locking part (37) of the door (30). As the door lock motor (62) rotates, the door lock switch (61) may move up and down.

[0071] When the door lock switch (61) is locked to the locking part (37), the door (30) can be locked. When the door lock switch (61) is unlocked from the locking part (37), the door (30) can be freely opened and closed.

[0072] In various embodiments, the door lock (60) may include a linear actuator that rotates the door lock switch (61) instead of the door lock motor (62).

[0073] For example, the linear actuator may be powered by a relay. When the relay is turned on, power is supplied to the linear actuator, causing the push rod to move from its initial position, and the door lock switch (61) connected to the push rod may engage with the door (30) to form a locked state. Additionally, when the relay is turned off, power to the linear actuator is cut off, causing the push rod to return to its initial position, and the door lock switch (61) may be disengaged from the door (30).

[0074] For convenience of explanation, the following description describes a door locking device (60) that includes a door locking motor (62) that rotates a door locking switch (61).

[0075] FIG. 5 illustrates high-temperature air inside the door being discharged to the outside of the door through the intake and exhaust passages of a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0076] Referring to FIG. 5, a cooling structure for discharging high-temperature air inside a door (30) to the outside of the door (30) may include an intake passage (35, 12, 70) through which high-temperature air inside the door (30) is sucked in by a cooling fan (51), and an exhaust passage (80, 85) through which the high-temperature air sucked in by the cooling fan (51) is discharged to the outside of the main body (10).

[0077] The suction channel (35, 12, 70) may include a discharge hole (35) provided in the door duct (33), a suction hole (12) provided in the front panel (11), and a suction duct (70) that communicates with the suction hole (12) and guides the air sucked into the suction hole (12) to the cooling fan (51).

[0078] The cooling fan (51) can be provided in a shape capable of sucking in air in both directions so as to suck in external air from the cooking device (1) into the electrical chamber (50) and to suck in high-temperature air discharged from inside the door (30) through the suction hole (12) and the suction duct (70). That is, it can be provided in a shape capable of sucking in air from the upper and lower parts of the cooling fan (51).

[0079] The exhaust passage (80, 85) may include an exhaust duct (80) that guides air sucked in by the cooling fan (51) to be discharged to the outside of the main body (10), and an exhaust section (85) that communicates with the exhaust duct (80) and discharges air to the outside of the main body (10). An exhaust port (83) may be provided at the end of the exhaust duct (80) that communicates with the exhaust section (85) so that the air of the exhaust duct (80) is discharged to the exhaust section (85).

[0080] The discharge section (85) may be formed between the top of the door duct (33) and the electrical room (50). More specifically, the discharge section (85) may be formed on the upper part of the door duct (33). The discharge section (85) may be formed on the electrical room cover (17) that covers the front of the electrical room (50) and on the lower part of the front of the electrical room (50).

[0081] The upper part of the door duct (33) may be positioned between the intake hole (12) and the outlet (83) of the exhaust duct (80). This is to avoid collision between the air discharged through the discharge hole (35) and sucked into the intake hole (12) and the air discharged through the outlet (83).

[0082] A gap (G) may be formed between a door duct (33) having a discharge hole (35) through which high-temperature air inside the door (30) is discharged, and a front panel (11) having an intake hole (12) through which the air discharged from the discharge hole (35) is sucked in. Some of the high-temperature air discharged through the discharge hole (35) may be sucked into the intake hole (12), and the remaining portion may be discharged to the discharge section (85) through the gap (G). Since the top of the door duct (33) is located between the intake hole (12) and the outlet (83) of the discharge duct (80), the remaining portion of the high-temperature air discharged through the discharge hole (35) may be smoothly discharged to the discharge section (85) through the gap (G).

[0083] The door duct (33) may be provided with an opening / closing device (100) for opening and closing the discharge hole (35) of the door duct (33). A detailed description of the opening / closing device (100) will be provided later.

[0084] The following describes the flow of air in which high-temperature air inside the door (30) is discharged to the outside of the door (30), and the high-temperature air discharged to the outside of the door (30) is discharged to the outside of the cooking appliance (1).

[0085] Air sucked in through the air inlet (39, see FIG. 3) provided at the bottom of the door (30) can move upward as its temperature rises inside the door (30). The air sucked in through the air inlet (39) can raise its temperature while lowering the surface temperature of the outside of the door (30), which has risen due to the temperature inside the cooking chamber (20). The high-temperature air inside the door (30) can move to the top of the door (30) and be discharged to the outside of the door (30) through the discharge hole (35). Some of the high-temperature air discharged through the discharge hole (35) can be forcibly sucked into the intake hole (12) by the cooling fan (51). The high-temperature air sucked into the intake hole (12) can be guided by the intake duct (70) and sucked into the cooling fan (51). The exhaust duct (80) may include an intake opening (81) so that the air guided by the intake duct (70) can be sucked into the cooling fan (51). High-temperature air sucked in by the cooling fan (51) can be guided by the exhaust duct (80) and discharged through the exhaust port (83). The high-temperature air discharged through the exhaust port (83) can be discharged to the outside of the cooking appliance (1) through the exhaust section (85).

[0086] The remaining portion of the high-temperature air discharged through the discharge hole (35) can be discharged to the exhaust section (85) through the gap (G) by the Venturi effect. A low-pressure area may be created in the exhaust section (85) by the flow rate of the air discharged to the exhaust section (85) by the cooling fan (51). When a low-pressure area is created in the exhaust section (85), the high-temperature air discharged through the discharge hole (35) can be discharged to the exhaust section (85) through the gap (G) connected to the exhaust section (85). The high-temperature air discharged to the exhaust section (85) can be discharged to the outside of the cooking appliance (1).

[0087] Accordingly, the high-temperature air inside the door (30) can be discharged to the outside of the main body (10) through at least one of the methods using the Venturi effect and forced suction by the cooling fan (51). As a result, the surface temperature outside the door (30) can be efficiently lowered while securing the capacity of the cooking chamber (20).

[0088] Generally, the cooking chamber (20) of the cooking appliance (1) applies various types of insulation materials or insulation methods to prevent internal heat from being released as much as possible. The most important function of the door (30) may be to provide airtightness, which allows the cooking contents inside to be checked while the cooking appliance (1) is in operation, while simultaneously preventing internal heat from leaking out.

[0089] The door (30) has a discharge hole (35) in the door duct (33) to release internal heat to the outside and maintain the temperature of the outermost glass (e.g., surface temperature) below a certain level. The role of this discharge hole (35) is to maintain the surface temperature of the door (30) below a certain level during a cleaning process (e.g., pyrolytic clean process) or high-temperature cooking, which cleans the inside of the cooking appliance (1) with high-temperature heat.

[0090] However, during the operation of the cooking device (1), the cooling path through this discharge hole (35) also affects the temperature of the inner glass of the door (30). For example, the inner and outer temperatures of the glass inside the door (30) differ by more than about 30°C. This can ultimately lead to an increase in power consumption and affect the food being cooked near the glass.

[0091] A cooking appliance (1) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes an opening / closing device (100) that opens and closes a discharge hole (35) of a door duct (33), and by opening and closing the discharge hole (35) through the opening / closing device (100) based on the temperature of the cooking chamber (20), heat loss generated through door cooling can be reduced, thereby improving the energy efficiency of the cooking appliance (1). That is, in a situation where the external surface temperature of the door (30) is not high, the discharge hole (35) of the door duct (33) is closed to improve the insulation of the door duct (33), thereby reducing energy loss inside the glass inside the door (30), thus saving energy and making the cooking distribution even.

[0092] FIG. 6 illustrates the door unlocked state of a cooking appliance according to one embodiment, and FIG. 7 illustrates the discharge hole closed by the opening and closing device of a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0093] Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, the opening and closing device (100) can open and close the discharge hole (35) of the door duct (33).

[0094] The opening and closing device (100) may include a support member (110) provided in the door duct (33), a rotating shaft (120) rotatably supported in the support member (110), a cover (130) provided to rotate together with the rotating shaft (120) and rotate to open and close the discharge hole (35), a contact member (140) provided on the rotating shaft (120) and contacting and releasing contact with the door lock switch (61) of the door locking device (60) so that the cover (130) rotates, and a torsion spring (150) provided in the contact member (140).

[0095] The contact portion (140) is provided on the rotation axis (120) and can be in contact with the door lock switch (61). When the door lock device (60) is unlocked from the lock portion (37), the door lock switch (61) can be separated from the contact portion (140). When the door lock device (60) is locked in the lock portion (37), the door lock switch (61) can be in contact with the contact portion (140).

[0096] When the door lock (60) is unlocked at the locking part (37) and the door lock switch (61) is separated from the contact part (140), the cover (130) can be maintained in its initial closed state by the force of the torsion spring (150) that returns the cover (130) to its initial position. Accordingly, the discharge hole (35) of the door duct (33) can be maintained in its initial closed state.

[0097] FIG. 8 illustrates a state in which high-temperature air inside the door is prevented from being discharged to the outside of the cooking appliance when the discharge hole is closed by the opening and closing device of the cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0098] Referring to FIG. 8, when the cooking appliance (1) is in operation, the door lock switch (61) is shown in an unlocked state from the locking part (37). At this time, the door lock switch (61) is separated from the contact part (140), and the cover (130) may be in a state where the discharge hole (35) of the door duct (33) is closed. With the discharge hole (35) closed by the cover (130), high-temperature air inside the door (30) can be prevented from being discharged to the outside of the door (30). Therefore, energy loss can be reduced by preventing high-temperature air inside the door (30) from being discharged to the outside of the door (30).

[0099] FIG. 9 illustrates a door locking state of a cooking appliance according to one embodiment, and FIG. 10 illustrates a state in which a discharge hole is opened by an opening / closing device of a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0100] Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, when the door lock (60) is locked to the locking part (37) and the door lock switch (61) presses the contact part (140), the cover (130) can be rotated around the rotation axis (120). When the cover (130) is rotated, the cover (130) can be switched from a closed state to an open state. Thus, the discharge hole (35) of the door duct (33) can be switched from a closed state to an open state. That is, when the door lock (60) locks the door (30), the door lock (60) contacts the contact part (140), causing the rotation axis (120) to rotate, and the cover (130) rotates together with the rotation axis (120) so that the discharge hole (35) can be opened.

[0101] Additionally, when the force pressing the contact portion (140) by the door lock switch (61) is released, the cover (130) can be rotated back to its original position before rotation by the torsion spring (150). Thus, the discharge hole (35) of the door duct (33) can be switched from an open state back to a closed state. That is, when the door lock device (60) unlocks the door (30), the door lock device (60) is released from contact at the contact portion (10), the rotation axis (120) rotates to its position before rotation by the torsion spring (150), and the cover (130) rotates together with the rotation axis (120) so that the discharge hole (35) can be closed.

[0102] FIG. 11 illustrates the flow of air in which high-temperature air inside the door is discharged to the outside of the cooking appliance when the discharge hole is opened by the opening and closing device of the cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0103] Referring to FIG. 11, the door lock switch (61) is shown locked to the locking part (37) during the operation of the cooking appliance (1). At this time, the door lock switch (61) can be in contact with the contact part (140) and press the contact part (140). As a result, the cover (130) can be rotated. When the cover (130) is rotated, the discharge hole (35) of the door duct (33) can be opened.

[0104] With the discharge hole (35) open, the high-temperature air inside the door (30) can be discharged to the outside of the door (30) through the discharge hole (35). Some of the high-temperature air discharged through the discharge hole (35) can be sucked into the intake hole (12) by the cooling fan (51). The high-temperature air sucked into the intake hole (12) can be guided by the intake duct (70) and sucked into the cooling fan (51) through the intake opening (81). The high-temperature air sucked into the cooling fan (51) can be discharged to the outside of the cooking appliance (1) through the discharge passages (80, 85).

[0105] The remaining portion of the high-temperature air discharged through the discharge hole (35) can be discharged to the discharge section (85) through the gap (G). This can be achieved by the Venturi effect generated by the airflow velocity of the air that is sucked into the electrical chamber (50) by the cooling fan (51), guided by the discharge passage (80, 85), and discharged to the front of the cooking device (1).

[0106] Accordingly, the high-temperature air inside the door (30) can be discharged to the outside of the cooking appliance (1) through at least one of the methods using the Venturi effect and forced suction by the cooling fan (51). As a result, the surface temperature outside the door (30) can be lowered as much as possible.

[0107] Afterward, as shown in FIG. 8, the door lock switch (61) can be unlocked from the locking part (37) depending on the temperature of the cooking chamber (20) during the operation of the cooking device (1). At this time, the door lock switch (61) can be separated from the contact part (140), and the force pressing the contact part (140) can be released. When the force pressing the contact part (140) is released, the cover (130) can be rotated back to its original position before rotation by the torsion spring (150). When the cover (130) is rotated back to its position before rotation, the discharge hole (35) can be closed again.

[0108] FIG. 12 is a control block diagram of a cooking device according to one embodiment.

[0109] Referring to FIG. 12, the cooking device (1) may include a heater (21), a user interface device (40), a circulation fan (25), a cooling fan (51), a door lock (60), a plurality of sensors (210), a communication unit (220), and / or a control unit (200). The control unit (200) is electrically connected to the components of the cooking device (1) and can control the components of the cooking device (1).

[0110] The user interface device (40) can enable the user and the cooking appliance (1) to interact with each other.

[0111] The user interface device (40) may include an input device (41) and a display (42).

[0112] The input device (41) can receive user input.

[0113] The input device (41) may include a start / select button, a dial, a stop / cancel button, an automatic cooking button, a cleaning button and / or a dial, etc.

[0114] The Start / Select button can receive commands to select the setting selected by the dial and commands to start cooking.

[0115] The stop / cancel button can receive commands to cancel the setting selected by the dial and commands to stop cooking.

[0116] The auto-cooking button can receive commands to input information about the dish. If the user is unsure about the cooking method, they can input the information of the dish they wish to cook themselves through the auto-cooking button.

[0117] The cleaning button can receive a command to clean the inside of the cooking chamber (120).

[0118] In various embodiments, the input device (41) may include a communication unit (220) in the sense that user input may be received from an external device (e.g., smartphone, server) through a communication unit (220).

[0119] Each button and / or dial may include a visual indicator (e.g., text, icon, etc.) that can indicate its function.

[0120] Here, terms such as buttons and dials can be replaced with input devices in terms of receiving user input. Additionally, input devices such as buttons and dials can be replaced with various types of input devices.

[0121] For example, buttons or dials can be replaced with UI elements (User Interface Elements), tact switches, push switches, slide switches, toggle switches, micro switches, touch switches, touchpads, touchscreens, jog dials, and / or microphones.

[0122] The input device (41) may include, for example, a tact switch, a push switch, a slide switch, a toggle switch, a micro switch, a touch switch, a touch pad, a touch screen, a jog dial, and / or a microphone.

[0123] The display (42) can convey various information related to the operation of the cooking device (1) to the user by generating sensory information.

[0124] For example, the display (42) can convey information to the user regarding the operating time of the cooking appliance (1), the settings of the cooking appliance (1), etc. Information regarding the operation of the cooking appliance (1) can be output through a display, an indicator, voice, etc. The display (42) may include, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel, an indicator, a light-emitting diode (LED) panel, a speaker, etc.

[0125] The display (42) can display information related to the operation of the cooking appliance (1). The display (42) can display information entered by the user or information provided to the user on various screens.

[0126] The user interface device (40) can receive user input for selecting a cooking administration and / or a cleaning administration.

[0127] The control unit (200) can control the operation of the cooking device (1) by processing commands received through the input device (41).

[0128] The heater (21) can heat the air in the cooking room (20).

[0129] The heater (21) may include a light wave heater and / or an electric heater.

[0130] The control unit (200) can control the operation of the heater (21).

[0131] For example, the control unit (200) can turn on the heater (21). The control unit (200) can turn off the heater (21). The control unit (200) can control the heater (21) to turn on / off.

[0132] Turning on the heater (21) may include changing the heater (21) from an off state to an on state.

[0133] Turning off the heater (21) may include changing the heater (21) in the ON state or the heater (126) in ON / OFF control to the OFF state.

[0134] Controlling the heater (21) on / off may include repeatedly controlling the heater (120) on / off to achieve a specific purpose (e.g., maintaining the temperature of the cooking chamber (20)).

[0135] According to various embodiments, the control unit (200) can adjust the heating level and heating time of the heater (21) according to the type, number, size, cooking course and / or cleaning process of the food being cooked.

[0136] The circulation fan (25) can circulate air in the cooking chamber (120).

[0137] The circulation fan (25) may also be referred to as a convection fan (25) in that it transfers air heated by the heater (21) to the food through convection. As the air inside the cooking chamber (120) is circulated by the convection fan (25), the heat generated by the heater (21) can be evenly transferred inside the cooking chamber (20).

[0138] The cooling fan (51) can discharge the inhaled high-temperature air to the outside of the cooking appliance (1). The cooling fan (51) can inhale the high-temperature air inside the door (30) and discharge the inhaled high-temperature air to the outside of the main body (10).

[0139] The control unit (200) can control the operation of the circulation fan (25) and / or the cooling fan (51).

[0140] For example, the control unit (200) can turn on the circulation fan (25) and / or the cooling fan (51). The control unit (200) can turn off the circulation fan (25) and / or the cooling fan (51).

[0141] Turning on the circulation fan (25) and / or cooling fan (51) may include changing the circulation fan (25) and / or cooling fan (51) from the off state to the on state.

[0142] Turning off the circulation fan (25) and / or cooling fan (51) may include changing the circulation fan (25) and / or cooling fan (51) from the ON state to the OFF state.

[0143] According to various embodiments, the control unit (200) can adjust the rotation speed and rotation time of the fan (125) according to the type, number, size, cooking course and / or cleaning process of the food being cooked.

[0144] Multiple sensors (210) can collect information related to the cooking device (1).

[0145] A plurality of sensors (210) may include a first temperature sensor (211) that detects the temperature of the cooking chamber (20).

[0146] The first temperature sensor (211) can be named as an internal sensor (211).

[0147] The first temperature sensor (211) can be installed at various locations inside the main body (10).

[0148] A first temperature sensor (211) is provided in the door (30) to detect the temperature of the door (30). In this case, the first temperature sensor (211) may be named a door sensor (211).

[0149] The first temperature sensor (211) can transmit an electrical signal corresponding to the detected temperature to the control unit (200). The control unit (200) can control at least one of the heater (21), the circulation fan (25), the cooling fan (25), and the door lock (60) based on the temperature detected by the first temperature sensor (211).

[0150] A plurality of sensors (210) may include a second temperature sensor (212) that detects the temperature of a printed circuit board (PCB) on which a control unit (200) is mounted or a printed circuit board assembly (PBA) including the printed circuit board (PCB). The second temperature sensor (212) may include an NTC thermistor.

[0151] The second temperature sensor (212) can detect the temperature of the electrical room (50) in which a printed circuit board (PCB) or a printed board assembly (PBA) is housed. The printed circuit board (PCB) or the printed board assembly (PBA) may be provided in the electrical room (50) located above the cooking room (20).

[0152] According to various embodiments, the plurality of sensors (70) may include both the first temperature sensor (211) and the second temperature sensor (212), or only the first temperature sensor (211).

[0153] The door lock (60) can lock and unlock the door (30).

[0154] The door lock device (60) may include a door lock switch (61) rotatably provided on the door lock device (60) and a door lock motor (62) that rotates the door lock switch (61).

[0155] The control unit (200) can control the operation of the door lock (60).

[0156] The control unit (200) can turn on the door lock (60). The control unit (200) can turn off the door lock (60).

[0157] Turning on the door lock (60) may include changing the door lock (60) from an off state to an on state. Turning on the door lock (60) may include changing the door (30) from an unlocked state to a locked state by rotating the door lock switch (61) in one direction through the door lock motor (62) and connecting it to the locking part (37).

[0158] Turning off the door lock (60) may include changing the door lock (60) from the ON state to the OFF state. Turning off the door lock (60) may include changing the door (30) from the locked state to the unlocked state by rotating the door lock switch (61) in the opposite direction through the door lock motor (62) to separate it from the locking part (37).

[0159] The control unit (200) can open and close the discharge hole (35) of the door duct (33) through the door locking device (60). The control unit (200) can open and close the discharge hole (35) of the door duct (33) in conjunction with the door locking operation and door unlocking operation of the door locking device (60). For example, the control unit (200) can open the discharge hole (35) of the door duct (33) in conjunction with the door locking operation of the door locking device (60). The control unit (200) can close the discharge hole (35) of the door duct (33) in conjunction with the door unlocking operation of the door locking device (60).

[0160] Additionally, if the opening / closing device (100) can directly open / close the discharge hole (35) of the door duct (33), the control unit (200) can directly open / close the discharge hole (35) of the door duct (33) through the opening / closing device (100).

[0161] According to various embodiments, the control unit (200) can control the operation of the door lock (60) according to the temperature of the cooking chamber (20) and / or the operation process (cooking process or cleaning process).

[0162] The communication unit (220) can communicate with external devices (e.g., servers, user devices, and / or home appliances) via wired and / or wireless communication.

[0163] The communication unit (220) may include at least one of a short-range communication module or a long-range communication module.

[0164] The communication unit (220) can transmit data to an external device or receive data from an external device. For example, the communication unit (220) can establish communication with a server, a user device and / or other home appliances and transmit and receive various data.

[0165] To this end, the communication unit (220) may support the establishment of a direct (e.g., wired) communication channel or a wireless communication channel between external devices, and the performance of communication through the established communication channel. According to one embodiment, the communication unit (220) may include a wireless communication module (e.g., a cellular communication module, a short-range wireless communication module, or a GNSS (global navigation satellite system) communication module) or a wired communication module (e.g., a LAN (local area network) communication module, or a power line communication module). The corresponding communication module among these communication modules may communicate with an external device through a first network (e.g., a short-range communication network such as Bluetooth, WiFi (wireless fidelity) direct, or IrDA (infrared data association)) or a second network (e.g., a legacy cellular network, a 5G network, a next-generation communication network, the Internet, or a computer network (e.g., a LAN or WAN)). These various types of communication modules can be integrated into a single component (e.g., a single chip) or implemented as multiple separate components (e.g., multiple chips).

[0166] A short-range wireless communication module may include, but is not limited to, Bluetooth communication modules, BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) communication modules, Near Field Communication modules, WLAN (Wi-Fi) communication modules, Zigbee communication modules, infrared (IrDA, infrared Data Association) communication modules, WFD (Wi-Fi Direct) communication modules, UWB (ultrawideband) communication modules, Ant+ communication modules, microwave (uWave) communication modules, etc.

[0167] The long-distance communication module may include a communication module that performs various types of long-distance communication and may include a mobile communication unit. The mobile communication unit transmits and receives wireless signals with at least one of a base station, an external terminal, and a server on a mobile communication network.

[0168] In one embodiment, the communication unit (220) can communicate with external devices such as a server, user device, and other home appliances through a nearby access point (AP). The access point (AP) can connect a local area network (LAN) to which the cooking appliance (1), other home appliances, and / or user device are connected to a wide area network (WAN) to which the server is connected. The cooking appliance (1), other home appliances, and / or user device can be connected to the server through the wide area network (WAN).

[0169] The control unit (200) can receive information from an external device through the communication unit (220). The control unit (200) can receive a command to control the cooking device (1) from an external device through the communication unit (220). The control unit (200) can receive information about the food being cooked from an external device through the communication unit (220).

[0170] The control unit (200) may include a processor (201) and a memory (202). The processor (201) is hardware and may include logic circuits and arithmetic circuits. The processor (201) may control electrically connected components of the cooking appliance (1) using programs, instructions, and / or data stored in the memory (202) for the operation of the cooking appliance (1). The control unit (200) may be implemented as a control circuit including circuit elements such as capacitors, inductors, and resistors. The processor (201) and the memory (202) may be implemented as separate chips or as a single chip. Additionally, the control unit (200) may include a plurality of processors and a plurality of memories.

[0171] The memory (202) can store programs, applications, and / or data for the operation of the cooking device (1), and can store data generated by the processor (201). The memory (202) may include non-volatile memory such as ROM (Read Only Memory) and flash memory for storing data for a long period. The memory (202) may include volatile memory such as S-RAM (Static Random Access Memory) and D-RAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) for temporarily storing data.

[0172] In one embodiment, the control unit (200) can control various configurations of the cooking device (1) according to various cooking courses.

[0173] The control unit (200) detects the temperature of the cooking chamber (20) through the first temperature sensor (211), opens the discharge hole (35) of the door duct (33) based on the temperature of the cooking chamber (20) being higher than a preset temperature, and closes the opened discharge hole (35) based on the temperature of the cooking chamber (20) being lower than a preset temperature.

[0174] The components of the cooking device (1) are not limited to those described above. The cooking device (1) may include various additional components in addition to the components described above, and it is also possible to omit some of the components described above.

[0175] FIG. 13 illustrates an example of a flowchart of a control method for a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0176] Referring to FIG. 13, the control unit (200) can close the discharge hole (35) of the door duct (33) of the cooking device (1) at the beginning of the operation of the cooking device (1) (300).

[0177] The control unit (200) can keep the door lock (60) in an off state so that the discharge hole (35) of the door duct (33) can be kept in an initial closed state. The initial state of the discharge hole (35) of the door duct (33) may be a closed state. The control unit (200) can keep the discharge hole (35) of the door duct (33) in an initial closed state by releasing the door lock (60) from the locking unit (37) to separate the door lock switch (61) from the contact unit (140).

[0178] The control unit (200) can detect the temperature (internal temperature) of the cooking chamber (20) through the first temperature sensor (211) (310).

[0179] The control unit (200) can determine whether the internal temperature is above a preset temperature (320).

[0180] The control unit (200) can open the discharge hole (35) of the door duct (33) if the internal temperature is above a preset temperature (320, e.g.). The control unit (200) can turn on the door locking device (60) based on the fact that the internal temperature is above a preset temperature. When the door locking device (60) is turned on, the door locking switch (61) rotates in one direction by the door locking motor (62) and engages with the locking part (37). When the door locking switch (61) engages with the locking part (37), the door locking switch (61) comes into contact with the contact part (140) of the opening / closing device (100). As the door locking switch (61) comes into contact with the contact part (140), it pushes into the contact part (140) and rotates the contact part (140). As the contact portion (140) rotates, the cover (130) that is closing the discharge hole (35) of the door duct (33) rotates about the rotation axis (120). As the cover (130) rotates, the discharge hole (35) opens.

[0181] Accordingly, the high-temperature air inside the door (30) is discharged to the outside of the door (30) through the discharge hole (35). Some of the high-temperature air discharged through the discharge hole (35) can be sucked into the intake hole (12) by the cooling fan (51). The high-temperature air sucked into the intake hole (12) can be guided by the intake duct (70) and sucked into the cooling fan (51) through the intake opening (81). The high-temperature air sucked into the cooling fan (51) can be discharged to the outside of the cooking appliance (1) through the discharge passages (80, 85). The remaining portion of the high-temperature air discharged through the discharge hole (35) can be discharged to the discharge section (85) through the gap (G). In this way, the high-temperature air inside the door (30) can be discharged to the outside of the cooking appliance (1) through at least one of the method using the Venturi effect and the method using forced suction by the cooling fan (51). As a result, the surface temperature outside the door (30) can be lowered as much as possible.

[0182] Additionally, the control unit (200) can close the discharge hole (35) of the door duct (33) if the internal temperature is below a preset temperature (320, no) (340).

[0183] The control unit (200) can switch the door lock device (60) from the ON state to the OFF state when the internal temperature drops from a state above the preset temperature to a state below the preset temperature. When the door lock device (60) is turned OFF, the door lock switch (61) is rotated in the opposite direction by the door lock motor (62) and unlocked from the lock unit (37). When the door lock switch (61) is unlocked from the lock unit (37), the force pressing the contact part (140) of the opening / closing device (100) is removed, and the cover (130) returns to its original position by the torsion spring (150). As the cover (130) returns to its original position, the open discharge hole (35) is closed again by the cover (130) that has returned.

[0184] Therefore, high-temperature air inside the door (30) can be prevented from being discharged to the outside of the door (30). As a result, energy loss can be reduced by preventing high-temperature air inside the door (30) from being discharged to the outside of the door (30).

[0185] As described above, when the temperature of the cooking chamber (20) is high, the door locking device (60) can be operated to open the door (30) and the discharge hole (35) of the door duct (33) can be opened to lock the door (30) and the high-temperature air inside the door (30) can be discharged to the outside of the door (30), thereby lowering the surface temperature of the door (30). Additionally, when the temperature of the cooking chamber (20) is low, the door locking device (60) can be operated to open the door (30) and the discharge hole (35) of the door duct (33) can be closed to unlock the door (30) and prevent the high-temperature air inside the door (30) from being discharged to the outside of the door (30), thereby reducing energy loss inside the door (30).

[0186] Therefore, in situations where it is necessary to lower the surface temperature of the door (30) because the temperature of the cooking chamber (20) is relatively high, the discharge hole (35) can be opened to lower the surface temperature of the door (30), and in situations where it is necessary to reduce the energy loss of the door (30) because the temperature of the cooking chamber (20) is relatively low, the discharge hole (35) can be closed to improve the insulation of the door duct (33), thereby reducing the energy loss inside the glass inside the door (30), thus saving energy and making the cooking distribution even.

[0187] FIG. 14 illustrates an example of a flowchart of a method for opening and closing a discharge hole of a door duct based on the temperature of the cooking chamber during a cleaning process of a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0188] Referring to FIG. 14, the discharge hole (35) of the door duct (33) of the cooking appliance (1) may be in a closed state in the initial state.

[0189] The control unit (200) can perform cleaning administration (400).

[0190] The control unit (200) can receive user input to select a cooking administration or a cleaning administration through the user interface device (40). The control unit (200) can perform a cleaning administration based on the received user input. The control unit (200) can perform a cleaning administration based on the user's selection of a cleaning administration.

[0191] The cleaning process may include a pyrolytic clean process that drives a heater (21) to supply heat into the cooking chamber (20). For example, the pyrolytic clean process may burn contaminants inside the cooking chamber (20) by driving the heater (21) to heat the cooking chamber (20) to 450°C or higher.

[0192] The control unit (200) can perform a pyrolysis cleaning process by driving the heater (21). The control unit (200) can perform a pyrolysis cleaning process by driving the heater (21) and the circulation fan (25). The control unit (200) can perform a pyrolysis cleaning process by driving the heater (21), the circulation fan (25), and the cooling fan (51).

[0193] The control unit (200) can detect the temperature (internal temperature) of the cooking chamber (20) through the first temperature sensor (211) (410).

[0194] The control unit (200) can determine whether the internal temperature is above the first temperature (420).

[0195] The control unit (200) can open the discharge hole (35) of the door duct (33) when the internal temperature is above the first temperature (420, e.g.). Additionally, the control unit (200) can open the discharge hole (35) of the door duct (33) regardless of the internal temperature of the cooking room (20) in response to the start of a cleaning process. For example, the control unit (200) can open the discharge hole (35) when the internal temperature exceeds 270°C.

[0196] The control unit (200) can turn on the door lock device (60) based on the fact that the internal temperature is above the first temperature. When the door lock device (60) is turned on, the door lock switch (61) rotates in one direction by the door lock motor (62) and engages with the locking part (37). When the door lock switch (61) engages with the locking part (37), the door lock switch (61) comes into contact with the contact part (140) of the opening / closing device (100). As the door lock switch (61) comes into contact with the contact part (140), it pushes into the contact part (140) and rotates the contact part (140). As the contact part (140) rotates, the cover (130) rotates around the rotation axis (120). As the cover (130) rotates, the discharge hole (35) opens.

[0197] Accordingly, the high-temperature air inside the door (30) is discharged to the outside of the door (30) through the discharge hole (35). Some of the high-temperature air discharged through the discharge hole (35) can be sucked into the intake hole (12) by the cooling fan (51). The high-temperature air sucked into the intake hole (12) can be guided by the intake duct (70) and sucked into the cooling fan (51) through the intake opening (81). The high-temperature air sucked into the cooling fan (51) can be discharged to the outside of the cooking appliance (1) through the discharge passages (80, 85). The remaining portion of the high-temperature air discharged through the discharge hole (35) can be discharged to the discharge section (85) through the gap (G). As a result, the surface temperature outside the door (30) can be lowered.

[0198] Additionally, the control unit (200) can close the discharge hole (35) of the door duct (33) if the internal temperature is below the first temperature (420, no). For example, the control unit (200) can close the discharge hole (35) if the internal temperature drops from 270°C or higher to 270°C or lower.

[0199] The control unit (200) can switch the door lock device (60) from the ON state to the OFF state when the internal temperature drops from a state above the first temperature to a state below the first temperature. When the door lock device (60) is turned OFF, the door lock switch (61) is rotated in the opposite direction by the door lock motor (62) and unlocked from the lock unit (37). When the door lock switch (61) is unlocked from the lock unit (37), the force pressing the contact part (140) of the opening / closing device (100) is removed, and the cover (130) returns to its original position by the torsion spring (150). As the cover (130) rotates to its original position, the open discharge hole (35) is closed again.

[0200] Therefore, high-temperature air inside the door (30) can be prevented from being discharged to the outside of the door (30). As a result, energy loss can be reduced by preventing high-temperature air inside the door (30) from being discharged to the outside of the door (30).

[0201] As described above, when the temperature of the cooking chamber (20) is high during the cleaning process, the door (30) can be locked by operating the opening / closing device (100) through the door locking device (60) to lock the door and open the discharge hole (35) of the door duct (33), thereby allowing the high-temperature air inside the door (30) to be discharged to the outside of the door (30), thus lowering the surface temperature of the door (30). Additionally, when the temperature of the cooking chamber (20) is low during the cleaning process, the door (30) can be unlocked by operating the opening / closing device (100) through the door locking device (60) to unlock the door (30) and close the discharge hole (35) of the door duct (33), thereby preventing the high-temperature air inside the door (30) from being discharged to the outside of the door (30), thus reducing energy loss inside the door (30).

[0202] FIG. 15 illustrates the change in internal temperature when the discharge hole of the door duct is opened or closed in a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0203] Referring to Fig. 15, the horizontal axis of the graph represents time, and the vertical axis represents the temperature of the cooking chamber (20).

[0204] It can be seen that the internal temperature when the discharge hole (35) of the door duct (33) is closed is higher than the internal temperature when the discharge hole (35) is open. As time passes, the difference in internal temperature may become even greater.

[0205] FIG. 16 illustrates an example of a flowchart of a method for opening and closing a discharge hole of a door duct based on the temperature of the cooking chamber during a cooking process of a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0206] Referring to FIG. 16, the discharge hole (35) of the door duct (33) of the cooking appliance (1) may be in a closed state in the initial state.

[0207] The control unit (200) can perform cooking administration (500).

[0208] The control unit (200) can receive user input corresponding to a cooking process through the user interface device (40). The control unit (200) can perform a cooking process based on the received user input. The control unit (200) can perform a cooking process based on the user's selection of a cooking process.

[0209] The cooking process may include a process of cooking food inside the cooking chamber (20). For example, the cooking process may include a rapid defrosting process, an air fryer process, a steaming process, etc.

[0210] The control unit (200) can perform a cooking process by driving the heater (21) and the circulation fan (25). The control unit (200) can perform a cooking process by driving the heater (21), the circulation fan (25), and the cooling fan (51).

[0211] The control unit (200) can detect the temperature (internal temperature) of the cooking chamber (20) through the first temperature sensor (211) (510).

[0212] The control unit (200) can determine whether the internal temperature is above the second temperature (520).

[0213] The control unit (200) can open the discharge hole (35) of the door duct (33) when the internal temperature is above the second temperature (520, e.g.). For example, the control unit (200) can open the discharge hole (35) when the internal temperature exceeds 310°C.

[0214] The control unit (200) can turn on the door lock device (60) based on the fact that the internal temperature is above the second temperature. When the door lock device (60) is turned on, the door lock switch (61) rotates in one direction by the door lock motor (62) and engages with the locking part (37). When the door lock switch (61) engages with the locking part (37), the door lock switch (61) comes into contact with the contact part (140) of the opening / closing device (100). As the door lock switch (61) comes into contact with the contact part (140), it pushes into the contact part (140) and rotates the contact part (140). As the contact part (140) rotates, the cover (130) rotates around the rotation axis (120). As the cover (130) rotates, the discharge hole (35) opens.

[0215] Accordingly, the high-temperature air inside the door (30) is discharged to the outside of the door (30) through the discharge hole (35). Some of the high-temperature air discharged through the discharge hole (35) can be sucked into the intake hole (12) by the cooling fan (51). The high-temperature air sucked into the intake hole (12) can be guided by the intake duct (70) and sucked into the cooling fan (51) through the intake opening (81). The high-temperature air sucked into the cooling fan (51) can be discharged to the outside of the cooking appliance (1) through the discharge passages (80, 85). The remaining portion of the high-temperature air discharged through the discharge hole (35) can be discharged to the discharge section (85) through the gap (G). As a result, the surface temperature outside the door (30) can be lowered.

[0216] Additionally, the control unit (200) can close the discharge hole (35) of the door duct (33) if the internal temperature is below the second temperature (520, no). For example, the control unit (200) can close the discharge hole (35) if the internal temperature drops from 310°C or higher to 310°C or lower. Additionally, the control unit (200) can close the discharge hole (35) if the internal temperature drops from 310°C or higher to 270°C or lower.

[0217] The control unit (200) can switch the door lock device (60) from the ON state to the OFF state when the internal temperature drops from a state above the second temperature to a state below the second temperature. When the door lock device (60) is turned OFF, the door lock switch (61) is rotated in the opposite direction by the door lock motor (62) and unlocked from the lock unit (37). When the door lock switch (61) is unlocked from the lock unit (37), the force pressing the contact part (140) of the opening / closing device (100) is removed, and the cover (130) returns to its original position by the torsion spring (150). As the cover (130) rotates to its original position, the open discharge hole (35) is closed again.

[0218] Therefore, high-temperature air inside the door (30) can be prevented from being discharged to the outside of the door (30). As a result, energy loss can be reduced by preventing high-temperature air inside the door (30) from being discharged to the outside of the door (30).

[0219] As described above, when the temperature of the cooking chamber (20) is high during the cooking process, the door (30) can be locked by operating the opening / closing device (100) through the door locking device (60) to lock the door and open the discharge hole (35) of the door duct (33), thereby allowing the high-temperature air inside the door (30) to be discharged to the outside of the door (30), thus lowering the surface temperature of the door (30). Additionally, when the temperature of the cooking chamber (20) is low during the cooking process, the door (30) can be unlocked by operating the opening / closing device (100) through the door locking device (60) to unlock the door (30) and close the discharge hole (35) of the door duct (33), thereby preventing the high-temperature air inside the door (30) from being discharged to the outside of the door (30), thus reducing energy loss inside the door (30).

[0220] FIG. 17 illustrates an example of a flowchart of a method for controlling the speed of a cooling fan based on the temperature of a printed circuit board during the operation of a cooking device according to one embodiment.

[0221] Referring to FIG. 17, the control unit (200) is provided in the electrical room (50) above the cooking room (20) via the second temperature sensor (212) while the cooking device (1) is operating a cleaning or cooking operation, and can detect the temperature (PCB temperature) of the printed circuit board (PCB) on which the control unit (200) is mounted (600).

[0222] The control unit (200) can determine whether the temperature of the printed circuit board (PCB) is above a third temperature (610). For example, the third temperature may be 65°C.

[0223] The control unit (200) can increase the speed (RPM) of the cooling fan (51) when the temperature of the printed circuit board (PCB) is above the third temperature (610, e.g.). For example, the control unit (200) can increase the RPM of the cooling fan (51) to the maximum RPM when the temperature of the printed circuit board (PCB) is above 65°C. At this time, the control unit (200) can open the discharge hole (35) of the door duct (33).

[0224] The control unit (200) can reduce the speed (RPM) of the cooling fan (51) if the temperature of the printed circuit board (PCB) is below the third temperature (610, no). For example, the control unit (200) can reduce the RPM of the cooling fan (51) to the normal RPM if the temperature of the printed circuit board (PCB) drops below 65°C while being 65°C or higher. At this time, the control unit (200) can close the discharge hole (35) of the door duct (33).

[0225] When the cooking device (1) is operated, the temperature of the cooking chamber (20) rises, and at the same time, the temperature of the printed circuit board (PCB) or printed circuit board assembly (PBA) of the upper electrical chamber (50) can also rise.

[0226] The temperature of the printed circuit board (PCB) or printed circuit board assembly (PBA) may be proportional to the surface temperature of the door (30). When the printed circuit board (PCB) or printed circuit board assembly (PBA) is above a certain temperature, the discharge hole (35) may be opened while operating the cooling fan (51).

[0227] When the temperature of the printed circuit board (PCB) or printed circuit board assembly (PBA) is high, the speed of the cooling fan (51) can be controlled to lower the surface temperature of the door (30).

[0228] High-temperature air discharged through the discharge hole (35) is sucked into the intake hole (12) by the cooling fan (51), and the high-temperature air sucked into the intake hole (12) is guided by the intake duct (70) and can be sucked into the cooling fan (51) through the intake opening (81). The high-temperature air sucked into the cooling fan (51) can be discharged to the outside of the cooking appliance (1) through the discharge passages (80, 85). As a result, the surface temperature outside the door (30) can be lowered.

[0229] According to the present disclosure, when the temperature of the cooking chamber (20) is high, the door (30) can be locked by operating the opening / closing device (100) through the door locking device (60) to lock the door and open the discharge hole (35) of the door duct (33), and the high-temperature air inside the door (30) can be discharged to the outside of the door (30), thereby lowering the surface temperature of the door (30). Additionally, when the temperature of the cooking chamber (20) is low, the door (30) can be unlocked by operating the opening / closing device (100) through the door locking device (60) to unlock the door (30) and close the discharge hole (35) of the door duct (33), thereby preventing the high-temperature air inside the door (30) from being discharged to the outside of the door (30), thus reducing energy loss inside the door (30).

[0230] A cooking device (1) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include: a main body (10); a cooking chamber (20) provided inside the main body (10) so as to have its front open; a door (30) for opening and closing the cooking chamber (20); a door duct (33) including a discharge hole (35) for discharging air inside the door (30) to the outside of the door (30); and a control unit (200) that opens the discharge hole (35) based on the temperature inside the cooking chamber (20) being above a preset temperature, and closes the discharge hole (35) based on the temperature inside the cooking chamber (20) being below the preset temperature.

[0231] The above cooking device (1) may further include: a door locking device (60) for locking and unlocking the door (30); and an opening / closing device (100) configured to open the discharge hole (35) as the door locking device (60) locks the door (30), and to close the discharge hole (35) as the door locking device (60) unlocks the door (30).

[0232] The above control unit (200) can open the discharge hole (35) by controlling the door locking device (60) to lock the door (30), and close the discharge hole (35) by controlling the door locking device (60) to unlock the door.

[0233] The above opening / closing device (100) may include a support member (110) provided in the door duct (33), a rotating shaft (120) rotatably supported in the support member (110), a cover (130) provided to rotate together with the rotating shaft (120) to open / close the discharge hole (35), a contact member (140) provided on the rotating shaft (120) and contacting and releasing contact with the door locking device (60) to allow the cover (130) to rotate, and a torsion spring (150) provided in the contact member (140).

[0234] When the door locking device (60) locks the door (30), the door locking device (60) comes into contact with the contact part (140), causing the rotation shaft (120) to rotate, and the cover (130) rotates together with the rotation shaft (120), so that the discharge hole (35) can be opened.

[0235] When the door lock (60) unlocks the door (30), the door lock (60) is released from contact at the contact portion (140), the rotation axis (120) is rotated to a position before being rotated by the torsion spring (150), and the cover (130) is rotated together with the rotation axis (120) so that the discharge hole (35) can be closed.

[0236] The control unit (200) opens the discharge hole (35) based on the fact that the temperature inside the cooking chamber (20) is above the first temperature during a cleaning process, closes the discharge hole (35) based on the fact that the temperature inside the cooking chamber (20) is below the first temperature, opens the discharge hole (35) based on the fact that the temperature inside the cooking chamber (20) is above the second temperature during a cooking process, closes the discharge hole (35) based on the fact that the temperature inside the cooking chamber (20) is below the second temperature, and the first temperature may be different from the second temperature.

[0237] The second temperature above may be higher than the first temperature.

[0238] It further includes a cooling fan that discharges air discharged through the discharge hole (35) to the outside of the main body (10); the control unit (200) is mounted on a printed circuit board, and the control unit (200) can control the speed of the cooling fan based on the temperature of the printed circuit board.

[0239] The control unit (200) can increase the speed of the cooling fan based on the temperature of the printed circuit board being above a preset temperature, and decrease the speed of the cooling fan based on the temperature of the printed circuit board being below the preset temperature.

[0240] The discharge hole (35) of the above door duct (33) may be in a closed state in the initial state.

[0241] The control unit (200) can open the discharge hole (35) regardless of the temperature inside the cooking chamber (20) in response to the start of the cleaning process, and can close the discharge hole (35) in response to the temperature inside the cooking chamber (20) falling below the preset temperature while being above the preset temperature.

[0242] A control method for a cooking device (1) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include: detecting the temperature inside a cooking chamber (20); opening a discharge hole (35) of a door duct (33) that discharges air inside a door to the outside of the door based on the temperature inside the cooking chamber (20) being higher than a preset temperature; and closing the discharge hole (35) based on the temperature inside the cooking chamber (20) being lower than the preset temperature.

[0243] The above cooking device (1) further comprises: a door locking device (60) for locking and unlocking the door; and an opening / closing device (100) configured to open the discharge hole (35) as the door locking device (60) locks the door, and to close the discharge hole (35) as the door locking device (60) unlocks the door. Opening the discharge hole (35) may include opening the discharge hole (35) by controlling the door locking device (60) to lock the door, and closing the discharge hole (35) may include closing the discharge hole (35) by controlling the door locking device (60) to unlock the door.

[0244] The above opening / closing device (100) comprises a support member (110) provided in the door duct (33), a rotating shaft (120) rotatably supported in the support member (110), a cover (130) provided to rotate together with the rotating shaft (120) to open / close the discharge hole (35), a contact member (140) provided on the rotating shaft (120) to contact and release contact with the door locking device (60) to cause the cover (130) to rotate, and a torsion spring (150) provided in the contact member (140). Opening the discharge hole (35) is achieved by the door locking device (60) locking the door, the door locking device (60) contacting the contact member (140) to rotate the rotating shaft (120), and the cover (130) rotating together with the rotating shaft (120) to open the discharge hole (35). It may include being opened.

[0245] Closing the discharge hole (35) is achieved by the door lock (60) unlocking the door, releasing contact from the door lock (60) at the contact portion (140), rotating the rotation axis (120) to a position before being rotated by the torsion spring (150), and rotating the cover (130) together with the rotation axis (120) so that the discharge hole (35) can be closed.

[0246] Opening the discharge hole (35) includes opening the discharge hole (35) based on the temperature inside the cooking chamber (20) being above a first temperature during a cleaning process and opening the discharge hole (35) based on the temperature inside the cooking chamber (20) being above a second temperature during a cooking process, and closing the discharge hole (35) includes closing the discharge hole (35) based on the temperature inside the cooking chamber (20) being below the first temperature during a cleaning process and closing the discharge hole (35) based on the temperature inside the cooking chamber (20) being below the second temperature during a cooking process, and the first temperature may be different from the second temperature.

[0247] It further includes a cooling fan that discharges air discharged through the discharge hole (35) to the outside of the main body (10); and a control unit (200) is mounted on a printed circuit board and detects the temperature of the printed circuit board; increases the speed of the cooling fan based on the temperature of the printed circuit board being above a preset temperature; and decreases the speed of the cooling fan based on the temperature of the printed circuit board being below the preset temperature.

[0248] The discharge hole (35) of the above door duct (33) may be in a closed state in the initial state.

[0249] Opening the discharge hole (35) includes opening the discharge hole (35) regardless of the temperature inside the cooking chamber (20) in response to the start of a cleaning process, and closing the discharge hole (35) may include closing the discharge hole (35) in response to the temperature inside the cooking chamber (20) falling below the preset temperature while being above the preset temperature.

[0250] Meanwhile, the disclosed embodiments may be implemented in the form of a storage medium that stores instructions executable by a computer. The instructions may be stored in the form of program code, and when executed by a processor, they may generate a program module to perform the operation of the disclosed embodiments.

[0251] Computer-readable recording media include all types of recording media that store instructions that can be decoded by a computer. Examples include ROM (read-only memory), RAM (random access memory), magnetic tape, magnetic disk, flash memory, optical data storage devices, etc.

[0252] Additionally, computer-readable recording media may be provided in the form of non-transitory storage media. Here, 'non-transitory storage media' simply means that it is a tangible device and does not contain a signal (e.g., electromagnetic waves), and this term does not distinguish between cases where data is stored semi-permanently and cases where it is stored temporarily. For example, 'non-transitory storage media' may include a buffer in which data is stored temporarily.

[0253] According to one embodiment, the method according to the various embodiments disclosed herein may be provided by being included in a computer program product. The computer program product may be traded between a seller and a buyer as a product. The computer program product may be distributed in the form of a device-readable storage medium (e.g., compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM)), or distributed online (e.g., download or upload) through an application store (e.g., Play Store™) or directly between two user devices (e.g., smartphones). In the case of online distribution, at least a portion of the computer program product (e.g., downloadable app) may be temporarily stored or temporarily created on a device-readable storage medium, such as the memory of a manufacturer's server, an application store's server, or a relay server.

[0254] As described above, the disclosed embodiments have been explained with reference to the attached drawings. Those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention may be practiced in forms different from the disclosed embodiments without changing the technical spirit or essential features of the invention. The disclosed embodiments are illustrative and should not be interpreted restrictively.

Claims

1. Main body; A cooking chamber inside the main body above; A door comprising a door duct having a discharge hole through which internal air of the door is discharged to the outside of the door, for opening and closing the above-mentioned cooking chamber; and A cooking device comprising: a control unit that opens the discharge hole to discharge the internal air of the door to the outside of the door based on the internal temperature of the cooking chamber being above a preset temperature, and closes the discharge hole to prevent the internal air of the door from being discharged to the outside of the door based on the internal temperature of the cooking chamber being below the preset temperature.

2. In Paragraph 1, The above cooking appliance is, A door locking device for locking and unlocking the above door; and A cooking appliance further comprising: an opening and closing device configured to open the discharge hole when the door is locked by the door locking device, and to close the discharge hole when the door is unlocked by the door locking device.

3. In Paragraph 2, The above control unit is, The door locking device is controlled so that the above opening / closing device opens the discharge hole, thereby locking the door, and A cooking appliance configured to unlock the door by controlling the door locking device so that the above opening / closing device closes the discharge hole.

4. In Paragraph 2, The above-mentioned switching device is, A cooking appliance comprising: a support member within the door duct; a rotating shaft rotatable and supported by the support member; a cover configured to rotate together with the rotating shaft to open and close the discharge hole; a contact member provided on the rotating shaft and configured to rotate the cover based on contact with or separation from the door locking device; and a torsion spring configured to rotate the contact member so that the discharge hole is closed by the cover when the door locking device is separated from the contact member.

5. In Paragraph 4, A cooking device in which, when the door is locked by the door locking device, the door locking device contacts the contact portion so that the rotation axis and the cover rotate together to open the discharge hole.

6. In Paragraph 4, A cooking appliance in which, when the door is unlocked by the door locking device, the door locking device is separated from the contact portion, and the rotation axis and the cover are rotated together by the torsion spring to close the discharge hole.

7. In Paragraph 1, The above control unit is, During the cleaning process, the discharge hole is opened based on the internal temperature of the cooking chamber being above the first temperature, and the discharge hole is closed based on the internal temperature of the cooking chamber being below the first temperature. During the cooking process, the discharge hole is opened based on the internal temperature of the cooking chamber being above the second temperature, and the discharge hole is closed based on the internal temperature of the cooking chamber being below the second temperature. A cooking appliance in which the first temperature is different from the second temperature.

8. In Paragraph 7, A cooking appliance in which the second temperature is higher than the first temperature.

9. In Paragraph 1, A cooling fan configured to discharge the discharged air to the outside of the main body when the discharge hole is open and the internal air of the door is discharged through the discharge hole; further comprising The above control unit is mounted on a printed circuit board, and The above control unit is, A cooking appliance that controls the RPM (Revolutions Per Minute) of the cooling fan based on the temperature of the printed circuit board.

10. In Paragraph 9, The above control unit is, A cooking device that increases the RPM of the cooling fan based on the temperature of the printed circuit board being above a first temperature, and decreases the RPM of the cooling fan based on the temperature of the printed circuit board being below the first temperature.

11. In Paragraph 1, A cooking appliance in which the discharge hole is initially in a closed state.

12. In Paragraph 1, The above control unit is, A cooking device that opens the discharge hole regardless of the internal temperature of the cooking chamber in response to the initiation of a cleaning process, and closes the discharge hole in response to the internal temperature of the cooking chamber falling below or below a preset temperature.

13. A method for controlling a cooking appliance comprising a main body, a cooking chamber inside the main body, a door including a door duct having a discharge hole for opening and closing the cooking chamber and for discharging internal air of the door to the outside of the door, and a control unit, wherein By the above control unit, Detecting the temperature inside the above cooking chamber; Based on the fact that the temperature inside the above-mentioned cooking chamber is above a preset temperature, the discharge hole of the door duct is opened so that the internal air of the door is discharged to the outside of the door; A method for controlling a cooking device comprising: closing the discharge hole to prevent the internal air of the door from being discharged to the outside of the door, based on the fact that the internal temperature of the cooking chamber is below the preset temperature.

14. In Paragraph 13, The above cooking appliance is, A door locking device for locking and unlocking the above door; and A closing device configured to open the discharge hole when the door is locked by the door locking device, and to close the discharge hole when the door is unlocked by the door locking device; further comprising Opening the above discharge hole is, It includes controlling the door locking device to open the discharge hole to lock the door, and Closing the above discharge hole is, A control method for a cooking appliance comprising controlling the door locking device to close the discharge hole and unlocking the door.

15. In Paragraph 14, The above-mentioned switching device is, The device includes a support member within the door duct, a rotating shaft rotatable and supported by the support member, a cover configured to rotate together with the rotating shaft to open and close the discharge hole, a contact member provided on the rotating shaft and configured to rotate the cover based on contact with or separation from the door locking device, and a torsion spring configured to rotate the contact member so that the discharge hole is closed by the cover when the door locking device is separated from the contact member. Opening the above discharge hole is, A control method for a cooking appliance comprising, wherein the door locking device locks the door and accordingly contacts the contact part, and the door locking device contacts the contact part to rotate the rotation axis and the cover together to open the discharge hole.

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