Oven camera assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9615007-B2
Application number	US-201514737826-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 12, 2015
Priority date	Jun 12, 2015
Publication date	Apr 4, 2017
Grant date	Apr 4, 2017

Abstract

A camera assembly for an oven appliance including an attachment mechanism, an arm, and a camera is provided. The attachment mechanism is configured for attachment to a handle of an oven appliance door. The arm extends from the attachment mechanism to the camera, and attaches to at least one of the camera or a housing, if provided. The camera records or transmits images of the oven cavity to, e.g., a user device allowing a user to monitor a doneness of any food items positioned within the oven appliance.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A camera assembly for an oven appliance, the oven appliance defining an oven cavity and including a door with a handle positioned over an opening to the oven cavity, the camera assembly comprising:
an attachment mechanism configured for attachment to the handle of the door of the oven appliance;
an arm extending between a first end and a second end, the arm attached to the attachment mechanism at the first end; and
a housing having a camera at least partially positioned therein, the second end of the arm attached to at least one of the housing or the camera, the housing configured to hold the camera adjacent to an outside surface of the door of the oven appliance, and the camera configured to record or transmit images of the oven cavity;
wherein the housing includes an attachment portion, wherein the attachment portion includes a socket and a ball movably positioned at least partially within the socket, and wherein the camera is attached to the ball and positioned at least partially within the ball.

2. The camera assembly of claim 1 , wherein the attachment mechanism is a clip for clipping onto the handle of the door of the oven appliance.

3. The camera assembly of claim 1 , wherein the housing includes an attachment portion and a lip, wherein the lip is positioned adjacent to the attachment portion and defines a frustoconical shape for blocking ambient light from reaching the camera.

4. The camera assembly of claim 3 , wherein the lip is a circular lip formed of an elastomeric material.

5. The camera assembly of claim 1 , wherein the socket defines central axis, wherein the ball of the attachment portion and the camera define a viewing axis, and wherein the viewing axis defines an angle with the central axis between about zero degrees and about ten degrees.

6. The camera assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second end of the arm is attached to the camera.

7. The camera assembly of claim 1 , wherein the arm is pivotally attached to the attachment mechanism, wherein the arm is pivotally attached to at least one of the housing or the camera, and wherein the arm further includes a pivot point between the first end and second end.

8. The camera assembly of claim 1 , wherein the attachment mechanism includes a battery, and wherein the battery is in electrical communication with the camera.

9. The camera assembly of claim 1 , wherein the camera includes a lens, and wherein the lens includes a glare-resistant coating.

10. The camera assembly of claim 1 , wherein the camera is configured to transmit images of the oven cavity wirelessly to one or more user devices.

11. An oven appliance comprising:
a cabinet defining an oven cavity;
an oven door positioned over an opening of the oven cavity, the oven door including at least one transparent panel for viewing into the oven cavity;
a handle mounted on the oven door; and
a camera assembly attached to the handle and including a housing having a camera positioned at least partially therein, the housing including a lip contacting the at least one transparent panel and the camera configured to record or transmit one or more images of the oven cavity;
wherein the housing further includes an attachment portion, wherein the lip is positioned adjacent to the attachment portion and defines a frustoconical shape for blocking ambient light from reaching the camera, wherein the attachment portion includes a socket and a ball movably positioned at least partially within the socket, and wherein the camera is attached to the ball and positioned at least partially within the ball.

12. The oven appliance of claim 11 , wherein the socket defines central axis, wherein the ball of the attachment portion and the camera define a viewing axis, and wherein the viewing axis defines an angle with the central axis between about zero degrees and about ten degrees.

13. The oven appliance of claim 11 , wherein the lip has a greater diameter than the attachment portion.

14. The oven appliance of claim 11 , wherein the camera assembly further includes an attachment mechanism and an arm, the attachment mechanism attached to the handle and the arm extending from the attachment mechanism and attached to at least one of the housing or the camera.

15. The oven appliance of claim 14 , wherein the arm is pivotally attached to the attachment mechanism, wherein the arm is pivotally attached to at least one of the housing or the camera, and wherein the arm further includes a pivot point between the first end and second end.

16. The oven appliance of claim 14 , wherein the attachment mechanism includes a battery, and wherein the battery is in electrical communication with the camera.

17. The oven appliance of claim 11 , wherein the camera includes a lens, and wherein the lens includes a glare-resistant coating.

18. The camera assembly of claim 1 , wherein the housing includes an attachment portion and a lip, wherein the lip is attached directly to the attachment portion of the housing for blocking ambient light from reaching the camera.

Assignees

• Gen Electric
• Haier Us Appliance Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Pfaffinger Jr Robert Charles
• Funk Michael A
• Tyler Rebekah Leigh

Classifications

• H04N23/51

  Housings · CPC title

• H04N23/54 Primary

  Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils · CPC title

• F27B5/18 Primary

  Arrangement of controlling, monitoring, alarm or like devices · CPC title

• H04N5/2252

  Electricity · mapped topic

• F24C15/04

  with transparent panels · CPC title