Cooking device and method for controlling the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016209028-A1
Application number	US-201615000830-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 19, 2016
Priority date	Jan 16, 2015
Publication date	Jul 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Provided is a cooking device. The cooking device includes a frame to form a cooking chamber; a burner to heat the cooking chamber; a gas valve to control a flow of a gas which will be supplied to the burner; an ignition unit to ignite a mixed gas of the gas and air which is supplied to the burner; a fan to enable the air heated by the burner to flow; a fan motor to rotate the fan; and a control unit to control the fan motor, wherein, when the fan motor is normally operated, the control unit turns on the gas valve and operates the ignition unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A cooking device comprising:
a frame to form a cooking chamber; a burner to heat the cooking chamber; a gas valve to control a flow of a gas to be supplied to the burner; an ignition unit to ignite a mixture of the gas supplied to the burner and air; a fan to enable the air heated by the burner to flow; a motor to rotate the fan; and a control unit to control the motor, wherein, when the fan motor is operating in a normal state, the control unit turns on the gas valve and operates the ignition unit.

2 . The cooking device of claim 1 , wherein the control unit determines whether the fan motor is operating in the normal state based on a current level of the fan motor.

3 . The cooking device of claim 2 , wherein the control unit further comprises a current detection unit to detect the current level of the fan motor.

4 . The cooking device of claim 2 , further comprising a relay connected to the fan motor and the control unit, wherein the control unit turns on the relay to operate the fan motor.

5 . The cooking device of claim 2 , wherein the control unit determines that the fan motor is operating in the normal state when a time when the current of the fan motor is detected is greater than or equal to a first reference time.

6 . The cooking device of claim 2 , wherein the control unit determines that the fan motor is operating in the normal state when the current of the fan motor is within a normal current range and a time when the current of the fan motor is within the normal current range is greater than or equal to a first reference time.

7 . The cooking device of claim 2 , further comprising a user interface configured to select a cooking mode and input a start command, wherein, when the fan motor is not operating in the normal state, the user interface generates an error information.

8 . The cooking device of claim 7 , wherein the control unit determines that the fan motor is not operating in the normal state when a time when the current of the fan motor is not detected is greater than or equal to a second reference time

9 . The cooking device of claim 7 , wherein the user interface further comprises a display unit to display information, and when the control unit determines that the fan motor is not operating in the normal state, the display unit is turned off.

10 . The cooking device of claim 7 , wherein the user interface further comprises a display unit to display the cooking mode, and when the control unit determines that the fan motor is not operating in the normal state, the error information is displayed on the display unit.

11 . The cooking device of claim 7 , wherein the user interface further comprises a notice unit to generate the error information.

12 . The cooking device of claim 1 , wherein, when the gas valve is turned on and the mixed gas is burned at the burner by the ignition unit, the control unit determines whether the fan motor is operating in the normal state.

13 . The cooking device of claim 12 , wherein the control unit turns off the gas valve when the control unit determines that the fan motor is not operating in the normal state.

14 . A method for controlling a cooking device, comprising:
selecting a cooking mode and inputting a start command for the cooking device through a user interface; applying electric power to a fan motor by a control unit; determining an operating state of the fan motor by the control unit; and turning on a gas valve to supply a gas to a burner and operating an ignition unit when it is determined that the fan motor is operating in a normal state.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the determining of the operating state of the fan motor comprises detecting a current level of the fan motor, and determining whether a time when the current level is detected is greater than or equal to a reference time.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the determining of the operating state of the fan motor comprises:
detecting a current level of the fan motor, and determining whether the detected current level is within a normal current range and a time when the detected current level is within the normal current range is greater than or equal to a reference time.

17 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising generating error information from a notice unit or a display unit when the fan motor is not operating in the normal state.

18 . A method for controlling a cooking device, comprising:
generating a flame from a burner by operating a fan motor and opening a gas valve; determining an operating state of the fan motor by a controller; closing the gas valve by the control unit to stop a supply of gas supplied to the burner when the fan motor is not operating in the normal state; and generating error information from a user interface.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the determining of the operating state of the fan motor comprises:
detecting a current level of the fan motor, and determining whether a time when the current level is not detected is greater than or equal to a reference time

20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the determining of the operating state of the fan motor comprises:
detecting a current level of the fan motor, and determining whether the detected current level is within a normal current range and a time when the detected current is within the normal current range is greater than or equal to a reference time.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Jang Unik

Classifications

• F23D2207/00

  Ignition devices associated with burner · CPC title

• F23N5/245

  using electrical or electromechanical means · CPC title

• F23D14/10 Primary

  with elongated tubular burner head · CPC title

• F23C7/00

  Combustion apparatus characterised by arrangements for air supply (inlets for fluidisation air F23C10/20; baffles or shields with air supply passages F23M9/04) · CPC title

• F24C15/18

  Arrangement of compartments additional to cooking compartments, e.g. for warming or for storing utensils or fuel containers; Arrangement of additional heating or cooking apparatus, e.g. grills · CPC title