Microwave oven with water feeding system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10420176-B2
Application number	US-201615185189-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 17, 2016
Priority date	Jun 19, 2015
Publication date	Sep 17, 2019
Grant date	Sep 17, 2019

Abstract

A domestic microwave oven is provided having an oven cavity, a water reservoir, a piping system coupling the reservoir and the oven cavity, and a pump for pumping a predetermined amount of water into the oven cavity. The pump is a mono-directional positive displacement pump and the piping system includes a by-pass coupled in parallel to the pump and an on/off electro valve configured to allow a drainage of the piping system when the pump is idle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A domestic oven comprising:
an oven cavity;
a water reservoir;
a piping system coupling the water reservoir and the oven cavity; and
a pump for pumping a predetermined amount of water into the oven cavity;
wherein the pump is a mono-directional positive displacement pump and the piping system comprises a by-pass line coupled in parallel to the pump and an on/off electro valve configured to allow a drainage of the piping system through the by-pass line when the pump is idle.

2. The domestic oven of claim 1 , wherein the pump is a vibration pump or a diaphragm pump.

3. The domestic oven of claim 1 , wherein the water reservoir is shaped as a drawer configured to be inserted in a seat below the oven cavity.

4. The domestic oven of claim 3 , wherein the piping system comprises an automatic valve which is in an open configuration when the water reservoir is inserted into the seat.

5. The domestic oven of claim 1 , wherein the pump and the on/off electro valve are coupled to a control unit.

6. The domestic oven of claim 1 , wherein the domestic oven is a microwave oven.

7. The domestic oven of claim 1 , wherein the piping system comprises a flow meter.

8. The domestic oven of claim 7 , wherein the flow meter is coupled downstream from the pump.

9. The domestic oven of claim 7 , wherein the flow meter is electrically coupled to a control unit.

10. A microwave oven comprising:
an oven cavity;
a water reservoir;
a piping system coupling the water reservoir and the oven cavity; and
a pump for pumping a predetermined amount of water into the oven cavity;
wherein the pump is a mono-directional positive displacement pump and the piping system comprises a by-pass line coupled in parallel to the pump and an on/off electro valve configured to allow a drainage of the piping system through the by-pass line when the pump is idle; and
wherein the pump and the on/off electro valve are coupled to a control unit.

11. The microwave oven of claim 10 , wherein the pump is a vibration pump or a diaphragm pump.

12. The microwave oven of claim 10 , wherein the water reservoir is shaped as a drawer configured to be inserted in a seat below the oven cavity.

13. The microwave oven of claim 12 , wherein the piping system comprises an automatic valve which is in an open configuration when the water reservoir is inserted into the seat.

14. The microwave oven of claim 10 , wherein the piping system comprises a flow meter.

15. The microwave oven of claim 14 , wherein the flow meter is coupled downstream from the pump.

16. The microwave oven of claim 14 , wherein the flow meter is electrically coupled to the control unit.

17. A microwave oven comprising:
an oven cavity;
a water reservoir;
a piping system coupling the water reservoir and the oven cavity; and
a diaphragm pump for pumping a predetermined amount of water into the oven cavity;
wherein the diaphragm pump is a mono-directional positive displacement pump and the piping system comprises a by-pass line coupled in parallel to the diaphragm pump and an on/off electro valve configured to allow a drainage of the piping system through the by-pass line when the diaphragm pump is idle; and
wherein the piping system comprises a flow meter electrically coupled to a control unit and the flow meter is coupled downstream from the diaphragm pump; and
wherein the by-pass line is configured to allow a drainage of the piping system to the water reservoir when the diaphragm pump is idle.

18. The microwave oven of claim 17 , wherein the water reservoir is shaped as a drawer configured to be inserted in a seat below the oven cavity.

19. The microwave oven of claim 18 , wherein the piping system comprises an automatic valve which is in an open configuration when the water reservoir is inserted into the seat.

20. The microwave oven of claim 17 , wherein the pump and the on/off electro valve are coupled to the control unit.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Lee Power
• Xu Jack

Classifications

• H05B6/6479

  using steam · CPC title

• F24C15/32

  Arrangements of ducts for hot gases, e.g. in or around baking ovens · CPC title

• F24C15/003 Primary

  moisturising of air · CPC title

• H05B6/6402

  Aspects relating to the microwave cavity · CPC title

• F24C13/00

  Stoves or ranges with additional provisions for heating water · CPC title