Microwave Oven Dual-Path Cooling for Electronic and Heater Components

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Solution Overview

Problem

Microwave ovens face inefficiencies in cooling their electronic and heating components, leading to potential overheating and reduced operational reliability.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates dual fan assemblies and air barriers to create separate airflow paths for cooling electronic components and heaters, with varying hole sizes in cooling passages to optimize airflow and prevent heat transfer, ensuring efficient cooling and safe operation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If a single cooling system is used for both electronic components and heaters, then the device complexity is reduced, but the cooling efficiency deteriorates due to mixed temperature airflow

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooling system structureVSAvoidcooling efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling system is divided into two separate airflow paths: a first cooling passage for electronic components and a second cooling passage for heaters. This segmentation allows each component type to be cooled by appropriately temperatured air, improving overall cooling efficiency while maintaining manageable system complexity through modular design

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the device are provided with different cooling conditions: electronic components receive cooler air from the first passage, while heaters receive warmer air from the second passage. This local differentiation of cooling quality optimizes heat dissipation for each component type based on its specific thermal requirements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Manufacturing precision

If uniform hole sizes are used in cooling passages, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the cooling efficiency deteriorates due to insufficient airflow optimization

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehole size consistencyVSAvoidcooling efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling passages incorporate holes of different sizes at different locations: larger holes in the first passage for electronic components and smaller holes in the second passage for heaters. This local variation in hole dimensions optimizes airflow characteristics for each component type, improving cooling efficiency while maintaining manufacturing precision through standardized hole patterns

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The hole diameter parameter is changed according to the specific cooling requirements of different components. The first cooling passage uses larger hole diameters to facilitate greater airflow volume for electronic components, while the second cooling passage uses smaller hole diameters appropriate for heater cooling, thereby optimizing thermal management across the device

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This configuration enhances cooling efficiency, prevents overheating, and improves the reliability of microwave oven components, while ensuring safe operation by separating airflow for low and high-temperature components.

Implementation Method 1

dual fan assemblies and air barriers to create separate airflow paths for cooling electronic components and heaters

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 2

fan assemblies...create separate airflow paths for cooling

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectForced Convection: Forced Convection

Implementation Method 3

air barriers to create separate airflow paths...prevent heat transfer

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal Insulation: Thermal Insulation

Data Source

PatentEP2232152B1A microwave oven
Publication Date: 2017.08.09 LG ELECTRONICS INC
  • EP2232152B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2232152B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5
  • EP2232152B1 patent drawingFigure 6~7

AI summary

A microwave oven is provided. A component generating relatively high temperature heat and a component generating a relatively low temperature heat are cooled by airflow divided and provided by a cooling part, thereby improving operation reliability and durability of a product.