Cooking apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11930580-B2
Application number	US-201816477961-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 17, 2018
Priority date	Jan 25, 2017
Publication date	Mar 12, 2024
Grant date	Mar 12, 2024

Abstract

Provided is a cooking apparatus. The cooking apparatus includes a cabinet having a cooking space therein, a tray on which an object to be cooked is placed on a top surface thereof, and a pair of elevation devices configured to connect both side surfaces of the inside of the cabinet to both side surfaces of the tray, the pair of elevation devices being configured so that the tray is insertable into and withdrawable from the cooking space. Each of the pair of elevation devices includes a fixed rail fixed to a side surface of the cabinet, a movable rail configured to move in a front and rear direction along the fixed rail in a state of being connected to the fixed rail, and an arm member having one end rotatably connected to an outer surface of the movable rail and the other end connected to a side surface of the tray to elevate the tray. The arm member includes a front arm and a rear arm, which are disposed to be spaced apart from each other in the front and rear direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cooking apparatus, comprising:
a cabinet having a cooking space therein;
a tray on a top surface of which an object to be cooked is placed; and
a pair of elevation devices configured to connect side surfaces of an inside of the cabinet to side surfaces of the tray, the pair of elevation devices being configured so that the tray is insertable into and withdrawable from the cooking space, wherein each of the elevation device comprises:
a fixed rail fixed to one of the side surfaces of the cabinet;
a movable rail configured to move in frontward and rearward directions along the fixed rail in a state of being connected to the fixed rail;
an arm member having a first end rotatably connected to an outer surface of the movable rail and a second end connected to one of the side surfaces of the tray to elevate the tray, wherein the arm member comprises a front arm and a rear arm, which are spaced apart from each other in the frontward and rearward directions;
a latch unit disposed on an inner surface of the movable rail and configured to restrict movement of the movable rail when the arm member rotates to elevate the tray; and
an elastic member interposed between the latch unit and the inner surface of the movable rail, wherein the latch unit is mounted on the inner surface of the movable rail facing a side surface of the fixed rail and includes a latch, wherein the movable rail comprises:
an upper hole into which a first end of the latch is inserted; and
a lower hole into which a second end of the latch is inserted, wherein, when the arm member is not rotated, the lower hole is covered by the rear arm, and when the rear arm is rotated to open the lower hole, the latch is rotated by a restoring force of the elastic member, and the first end of the latch is moved out of the upper hole by the rotation of the latch.

2. The cooking apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each of the elevation devices comprises:
a withdrawal restriction rib protruding from the side surface of the fixed rail; and
a hook end protruding from a rear end of the movable rail so as to be hooked with the withdrawal restriction rib.

3. The cooking apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the latch unit comprises:
a support rib protruding from the inner surface of the movable rail to rotatably support the latch;
wherein the latch comprises:
a latch head;
a latch body extending from a bottom surface of the latch head;
a latch leg bent downward from a lower end of the latch body;
a rotational shaft protruding from each of front and rear surfaces of the latch body; and
a spring support rib, which protrudes from any point of the latch body, which corresponds to an upper side of the rotational shaft, and in which the elastic member is inserted.

4. The cooking apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein an avoidance groove that is recessed by a predetermined depth from an upper end of the rear arm is defined to prevent the first end of the latch head, which passes through the upper hole, from interfering with the rear arm.

5. The cooking apparatus according to claimer 4 , wherein a movement restriction hole is defined at any point of the fixed rail, and when a first end of the latch head is moved out of the upper hole, a second end of the latch head is inserted into the movement restriction hole to restrict the movement of the movable rail.

6. The cooking apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one support rib protruding from an outer surface of the movable rail to support the arm member and restrict the rotation of the arm member at the same time.

7. The cooking apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each of the elevation devices further comprises a stopper unit disposed on a front end of the front arm and/or the rear arm, and wherein the stopper unit comprises:
a cam fixed to the front end of the front arm and/or the rear arm to rotate as one body with the front arm and/or the rear arm; and
a damper disposed at a rear side of the cam to restrict rotation of the cam.

8. The cooking apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein a plurality of stopping grooves is defined in a circumferential surface of the cam, and wherein the damper comprises:
a bracket;
a bearing supporter provided to be movable in the frontward and rearward direction inside of the bracket;
a bearing mounted onto a front end of the bearing supporter; and
an elastic member that applies elastic free to the bearing supporter.

9. The cooking apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the bearing supporter comprises:
a bearing shaft;
a bearing accommodating portion that accommodates the bearing mounted on the bearing shaft; and
a support rod.

10. The cooking apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the bracket includes a pair of side surfaces and a rear surface, and wherein the elastic member extends between the rear surface and the bearing accommodating portion and is inserted onto an outer surface of the support rod.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Park Kyoungjoon
• Yang Jaekyung
• Yoon Eunkyoung
• Lee Yongsoo

Classifications

• H05B6/6408 Primary

  Supports or covers specially adapted for use in microwave heating apparatus · CPC title

• A47J37/0629

  with electric heating elements · CPC title

• A47J37/0664

  Accessories · CPC title

• F24C15/168 Primary

  with telescopic rail systems · CPC title

• A47B88/40

  Sliding drawers; Slides or guides therefor · CPC title